Cases Reported: 2 Supreme Court Reports Annotated

CASES REPORTED
SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED
____________________
G.R. No. 195956. March 11, 2015.*

ABS-CBN CORPORATION, petitioner, vs. FELIPE GOZON,
GILBERTO R. DUAVIT, JR., MARISSA L. FLORES, JESSICA A.
SOHO, GRACE DELA PEÑA-REYES, JOHN OLIVER T.
MANALASTAS, JOHN DOES and JANE DOES, respondents.
Remedial Law; Criminal Procedure; Arraignment; Rule 116, Section

11(c) of the Rules of Criminal Procedure allows the suspension of the
accused’s arraignment in certain circumstances only.—Rule 116, Section
11(c) of the Rules of Criminal Procedure allows the
_______________
* SECOND DIVISION.
2 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

ABS-CBN Corporation vs. Gozon
suspension of the accused’s arraignment in certain circumstances only:

SEC. 11. Suspension of arraignment.—Upon motion by the proper party, the
arraignment shall be suspended in the following cases: (a) The accused
appears to be suffering from an unsound mental condition which effectively
renders him unable to fully understand the charge against him and to plead
intelligently thereto. In such case, the court shall order his mental
examination and, if necessary, his confinement for such purpose; (b) There
exists a prejudicial question; and (c) A petition for review of the resolution
of the prosecutor is pending at either the Department of Justice, or the
Office of the President; provided, that the period of suspension shall not
exceed sixty (60) days counted from the filing of the petition with the
reviewing office. (12a)
Same; Same; Petition for Review on Certiorari; The doctrine in Crespo
v. Judge Mogul, 151 SCRA 402 (1987), was reiterated in Mayor Balindong
v. Court of Appeals, 447 SCRA 200 (2004), where the Supreme Court (SC)
reminded the Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary to refrain from
entertaining petitions for review when the case is already pending with the
Court.—The doctrine in Crespo v. Judge Mogul, 151 SCRA 402 (1987),
was reiterated in Mayor Balindong v. Court of Appeals, 447 SCRA 200
(2004), where this court reminded the Department of Justice Secretary to
refrain from entertaining petitions for review when the case is already
pending with this court: [I]n order to avoid a situation where the opinion of
the Secretary of Justice who reviewed the action of the fiscal may be
disregarded by the trial court, the Secretary of Justice should, as far as
practicable, refrain from entertaining a petition for review or appeal from
the action of the fiscal, when the complaint or information has already been
filed in the Court. The matter should be left entirely for the determination of
the Court. The trial court should have proceeded with respondents Dela
Peña-Reyes and Manalastas’ arraignment after the 60-day period from the
filing of the Petition for Review before the Department of Justice on March
8, 2005. It was only on September 13, 2010 that the temporary restraining
order was issued by the Court of Appeals. The trial court erred when it did
not act on the criminal case during the interim period. It had full control and
direction of the case. As Judge Mogul reasoned in denying the motion to
dismiss in Crespo, failure to proceed with the arraignment “disregards the
requirements of due process [and] erodes the Court’s independence and
integrity.”
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 3

Same; Certiorari; Motion for Reconsideration; Generally, “a motion

for reconsideration is a condition sine qua non before a petition for
certiorari may lie, its purpose being to grant an opportunity for the
[tribunal or officer] to correct any error attributed to it by a reexamination
of the legal and factual circumstances of the case”; Exceptions.—Resorting
to certiorari requires that there be there be “no appeal, or any plain, speedy,
and adequate remedy in the ordinary course of law[,]” such as a motion for
reconsideration. Generally, “a motion for reconsideration is a condition sine
qua non before a petition for certiorari may lie, its purpose being to grant
an opportunity for the [tribunal or officer] to correct any error attributed to it
by a reexamination of the legal and factual circumstances of the case.”
However, exceptions to the rule exist: (a) where the order is a patent nullity,
as where the Court a quo had no jurisdiction; (b) where the questions raised
in the certiorari proceeding have been duly raised and passed upon by the
lower court, or are the same as those raised and passed upon in the lower
court; (c) where there is an urgent necessity for the resolution of the
question and any further delay would prejudice the interests of the
Government or of the petitioner or the subject matter of the action is
perishable; (d) where, under the circumstances, a motion for reconsideration
would be useless; (e) where petitioner was deprived of due process and
there is extreme urgency for relief; (f) where, in a criminal case, relief from
an order of arrest is urgent and the granting of such relief by the trial Court
is improbable; (g) where the proceedings in the lower court are a nullity for
lack of due process; (h) where the proceedings was ex parte or in which the
petitioner had no opportunity to object; and (i) where the issue raised is one
purely of law or where public interest is involved.
Same; Criminal Procedure; 2000 NPS Rules on Appeal; Motion for
Reconsideration; Department of Justice (DOJ) Department Circular No. 70
dated July 3, 2000, or the 2000 National Prosecution Service (NPS) Rules
on Appeal, provides that no second motion for reconsideration of the DOJ
Secretary’s resolution shall be entertained.—Department of Justice
Department Circular No. 70 dated July 3, 2000, or the 2000 NPS Rules on
Appeal, provides that no second motion for reconsideration of the
Department of Justice Secretary’s resolution shall be entertained: SECTION
13. Motion for reconsideration.—The aggrieved party may file a motion for
reconsideration within a non-extendible period of ten (10) days from re-

ceipt of the resolution on appeal, furnishing the adverse party and the
Prosecution Office concerned with copies thereof and submitting proof of
such service. No second or further motion for reconsideration shall be
entertained.
Same; Same; The Supreme Court (SC) has adopted a deferential
attitude towards review of the executive’s finding of probable cause.—This
court has adopted a deferential attitude towards review of the executive’s
finding of probable cause. This is based “not only upon the respect for the
investigatory and [prosecutorial] powers granted by the Constitution to the
executive department but upon practicality as well.” Review of the
Department of Justice Secretary’s decision or resolution will be allowed
only when grave abuse of discretion is alleged.
Same; Same; Preliminary Investigation; Words and Phrases;
Preliminary investigation is the inquiry or proceeding to determine whether
there is probable cause.—Probable cause pertains to “such facts as are
sufficient to engender a well-founded belief that a crime has been
committed and that respondent is probably guilty thereof.” Preliminary
investigation is the inquiry or proceeding to determine whether there is
probable cause.
Intellectual Property Rights; Copyright Infringement; Under the
Intellectual Property Code (IPC), “works are protected by the sole fact of
their creation, irrespective of their mode or form of expression, as well as of
their content, quality and purpose.” These include “[a]udiovisual works
and cinematographic works and works produced by a process analogous to
cinematography or any process for making audiovisual recordings.”—The
Intellectual Property Code is clear about the rights afforded to authors of
various kinds of work. Under the Code, “works are protected by the sole
fact of their creation, irrespective of their mode or form of expression, as
well as of their content, quality and purpose.” These include “[a]udiovisual
works and cinematographic works and works produced by a process
analogous to cinematography or any process for making audiovisual
recordings.” Contrary to the old copyright law, the Intellectual Property
Code does not require registration of the work to fully recover in an
infringement suit. Nevertheless, both copyright laws provide that copyright
for a work is acquired by an intellectual creator from the moment of
creation. It is true that under Section 175 of the Intellectual Property Code,
“news of the day and other miscellaneous facts
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 5

having the character of mere items of press information” are

considered unprotected subject matter.
Same; Same; News as expressed in a video footage is entitled to
copyright protection.—Broadcasting organizations are entitled to several
rights and to the protection of these rights under the Intellectual Property
Code. Respondents’ argument that the subject news footage is not
copyrightable is erroneous. The Court of Appeals, in its assailed Decision,
correctly recognized the existence of ABS-CBN’s copyright over the news
footage: Surely, private respondent has a copyright of its news coverage.
Seemingly, for airing said video feed, petitioner GMA is liable under the
provisions of the Intellectual Property Code, which was enacted purposely
to protect copyright owners from infringement. News as expressed in a
video footage is entitled to copyright protection. Broadcasting organizations
have not only copyright on but also neighboring rights over their broadcasts.
Copyrightability of a work is different from fair use of a work for purposes
of news reporting.
Same; Same; Fair Use; Words and Phrases; The Supreme Court (SC)
defined fair use as “a privilege to use the copyrighted material in a
reasonable manner without the consent of the copyright owner or as
copying the theme or ideas rather than their expression.”—This court
defined fair use as “a privilege to use the copyrighted material in a
reasonable manner without the consent of the copyright owner or as copying
the theme or ideas rather than their expression.” Fair use is an exception to
the copyright owner’s monopoly of the use of the work to avoid stifling “the
very creativity which that law is designed to foster.”
Same; Same; Same; Section 185 of the Intellectual Property Code
(IPC) lists four (4) factors to determine if there was fair use of a
copyrighted work.—Determining fair use requires application of the four-
factor test. Section 185 of the Intellectual Property Code lists four (4)
factors to determine if there was fair use of a copyrighted work: a. The
purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a
commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes; b. The nature of
the copyrighted work; c. The amount and substantiality of the portion used
in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and d. The effect of the use
upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

Same; Same; Infringement under the Intellectual Property Code (IPC)

is malum prohibitum.—Infringement under the Intellectual Property Code is
malum prohibitum. The Intellectual Property Code is a special law.
Copyright is a statutory creation: Copyright, in the strict sense of the term,
is purely a statutory right. It is a new or independent right granted by the
statute, and not simply a preexisting right regulated by the statute. Being a
statutory grant, the rights are only such as the statute confers, and may be
obtained and enjoyed only with respect to the subjects and by the persons,
and on terms and conditions specified in the statute. The general rule is that
acts punished under a special law are malum prohibitum. “An act which is
declared malum prohibitum, malice or criminal intent is completely
immaterial.”
Same; Same; Crimes mala in se presuppose that the person who did the
felonious act had criminal intent to do so, while crimes mala prohibita do
not require knowledge or criminal intent.—“Implicit in the concept of mala
in se is that of mens rea.” Mens rea is defined as “the nonphysical element
which, combined with the act of the accused, makes up the crime charged.
Most frequently it is the criminal intent, or the guilty mind[.]” Crimes mala
in se presuppose that the person who did the felonious act had criminal
intent to do so, while crimes mala prohibita do not require knowledge or
criminal intent: In the case of mala in se it is necessary, to constitute a
punishable offense, for the person doing the act to have knowledge of the
nature of his act and to have a criminal intent; in the case of mala prohibita,
unless such words as “knowingly” and “willfully” are contained in the
statute, neither knowledge nor criminal intent is necessary. In other words,
a person morally quite innocent and with every intention of being a law-
abiding citizen becomes a criminal, and liable to criminal penalties, if he
does an act prohibited by these statutes.
Same; Same; Unlike other jurisdictions that require intent for a
criminal prosecution of copyright infringement, the Philippines does not
statutorily support good faith as a defense.—Unlike other jurisdictions that
require intent for a criminal prosecution of copyright infringement, the
Philippines does not statutorily support good faith as a defense. Other
jurisdictions provide in their intellectual property codes or relevant laws that
mens rea, whether express or implied, is an element of criminal copyright
infringement.
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 7

Same; Same; In the Philippines, the Intellectual Property Code (IPC),

as amended, provides for the prosecution of criminal actions for violations
of intellectual property rights.—In the Philippines, the Intellectual Property
Code, as amended, provides for the prosecution of criminal actions for the
following violations of intellectual property rights: Repetition of
Infringement of Patent (Section 84); Utility Model (Section 108); Industrial
Design (Section 119); Trademark Infringement (Section 155 in relation to
Section 170); Unfair Competition (Section 168 in relation to Section 170);
False Designations of Origin, False Description or Representation (Section
169.1 in relation to Section 170); infringement of copyright, moral rights,
performers’ rights, producers’ rights, and broadcasting rights (Sections 177,
193, 203, 208 and 211 in relation to Section 217); and other violations of
intellectual property rights as may be defined by law. The Intellectual
Property Code requires strict liability for copyright infringement whether
for a civil action or a criminal prosecution; it does not require mens rea or
culpa.
Same; Same; The Supreme Court (SC) in Habana, et al. v. Robles, 310
SCRA 511 (1999), reiterating the ruling in Columbia Pictures v. Court of
Appeals, 261 SCRA 144 (1996), ruled that lack of knowledge of
infringement is not a valid defense.—Contrary to respondents’ assertion,
this court in Habana, et al. v. Robles, 310 SCRA 511 (1999), reiterating the
ruling in Columbia Pictures v. Court of Appeals, 261 SCRA 144 (1996),
ruled that lack of knowledge of infringement is not a valid defense. Habana
and Columbia Pictures may have different factual scenarios from this case,
but their rulings on copyright infringement are analogous. In Habana,
petitioners were the authors and copyright owners of English textbooks and
workbooks. The case was anchored on the protection of literary and artistic
creations such as books. In Columbia Pictures, video tapes of copyrighted
films were the subject of the copyright infringement suit.
Same; Same; Infringement of a copyright is a trespass on a private
domain owned and occupied by the owner of the copyright, and, therefore,
protected by law, and infringement of copyright, or piracy, which is a
synonymous term in this connection, consists in the doing by any person,
without the consent of the owner of the copyright, of anything the sole right
to do which is conferred by statute on the owner of the copyright.—We look
at the purpose of copyright in relation to criminal prosecutions requiring
willfulness: Most importantly, in

defining the contours of what it means to willfully infringe copyright

for purposes of criminal liability, the courts should remember the ultimate
aim of copyright. Copyright is not primarily about providing the strongest
possible protection for copyright owners so that they have the highest
possible incentive to create more works. The control given to copyright
owners is only a means to an end: the promotion of knowledge and learning.
Achieving that underlying goal of copyright law also requires access to
copyrighted works and it requires permitting certain kinds of uses of
copyrighted works without the permission of the copyright owner. While a
particular defendant may appear to be deserving of criminal sanctions, the
standard for determining willfulness should be set with reference to the
larger goals of copyright embodied in the Constitution and the history of
copyright in this country. In addition, “[t]he essence of intellectual piracy
should be essayed in conceptual terms in order to underscore its gravity by
an appropriate understanding thereof. Infringement of a copyright is a
trespass on a private domain owned and occupied by the owner of the
copyright, and, therefore, protected by law, and infringement of copyright,
or piracy, which is a synonymous term in this connection, consists in the
doing by any person, without the consent of the owner of the copyright, of
anything the sole right to do which is conferred by statute on the owner of
the copyright.”
Same; Same; Liability of Corporate Officers; The Supreme Court (SC)
has ruled that corporate officersl and/or agents may be held individually
liable for a crime committed under the Intellectual Property Code (IPC).—
Corporations have separate and distinct personalities from their officers or
directors. This court has ruled that corporate officers and/or agents may be
held individually liable for a crime committed under the Intellectual
Property Code: Petitioners, being corporate officers and/or directors,
through whose act, default or omission the corporation commits a crime,
may themselves be individually held answerable for the crime. . . . The
existence of the corporate entity does not shield from prosecution the
corporate agent who knowingly and intentionally caused the corporation to
commit a crime. Thus, petitioners cannot hide behind the cloak of the
separate corporate personality of the corporation to escape criminal liability.
A corporate officer cannot protect himself behind a corporation where he is
the actual, present and efficient actor. However, the criminal liability of a
corporation’s officers or employees stems from their active participation in
the commission of the wrongful act.
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 9

Same; Same; Same; An accused’s participation in criminal acts

involving violations of intellectual property rights is the subject of
allegation and proof.—An accused’s participation in criminal acts involving
violations of intellectual property rights is the subject of allegation and
proof. The showing that the accused did the acts or contributed in a
meaningful way in the commission of the infringements is certainly
different from the argument of lack of intent or good faith. Active
participation requires a showing of overt physical acts or intention to
commit such acts. Intent or good faith, on the other hand, are inferences
from acts proven to have been or not been committed.
Same; Same; Same; Mere membership in the Board or being President
per se does not mean knowledge, approval, and participation in the act
alleged as criminal. There must be a showing of active participation, not
simply a constructive one.—Mere membership in the Board or being
President per se does not mean knowledge, approval, and participation in
the act alleged as criminal. There must be a showing of active participation,
not simply a constructive one. Under principles of criminal law, the
principals of a crime are those “who take a direct part in the execution of
the act; [t]hose who directly force or induce others to commit it; [or] [t]hose
who cooperate in the commission of the offense by another act without
which it would not have been accomplished.” There is conspiracy “when
two or more persons come to an agreement concerning the commission of a
felony and decide to commit it.”
Same; Same; Good faith, lack of knowledge of the copyright, or lack of
intent to infringe is not a defense against copyright infringement.—In its
current form, the Intellectual Property Code is malum prohibitum and
prescribes a strict liability for copyright infringement. Good faith, lack of
knowledge of the copyright, or lack of intent to infringe is not a defense
against copyright infringement. Copyright, however, is subject to the rules
of fair use and will be judged on a case-to-case basis. Finding probable
cause includes a determination of the defendant’s active participation,
particularly when the corporate veil is pierced in cases involving a
corporation’s criminal liability.
PETITION for review on certiorari of the decision and resolution
of the Court of Appeals.
10

The facts are stated in the opinion of the Court.

Puno & Puno Law Office for petitioner.
Belo, Gozon, Elma, Parel, Asuncion & Lucila for respondents.
Pacifico A. Agabin for respondents.

LEONEN, J.:

The main issue in this case is whether there is probable cause to
charge respondents with infringement under Republic Act No. 8293,
otherwise known as the Intellectual Property Code. The resolution of
this issue requires clarification of the concept of “copyrightable
material” in relation to material that is rebroadcast live as a news
story. We are also asked to rule on whether criminal prosecution for
infringement of copyrightable material, such as live rebroadcast, can
be negated by good faith.
ABS-CBN Corporation (ABS-CBN) filed the Petition for Review
on Certiorari1 to assail the November 9, 2010 Decision2 and the
March 3, 2011 Resolution3 of the Court of Appeals. The Court of
Appeals reinstated the Department of Justice Resolution dated
August 1, 2005 that ordered the withdrawal of the Information
finding probable cause for respondents’ violation of Sections 1774
_______________
1 Rollo, pp. 14-50.

2 Id., at pp. 60-73. The Decision, docketed as C.A.-G.R. S.P. No. 15751, was
penned by Associate Justice Josefina Guevara-Salonga and concurred in by Associate
Justices Mariflor Punzalan and Franchito N. Diamante of the Fourth Division, Court
of Appeals Manila.
3 Id., at pp. 76-77.
4 SECTION 177. Copyright or Economic Rights.—Subject to the provisions of
Chapter VIII, copyright or economic rights shall consist of the exclusive right to carry
out, authorize or prevent the following acts:
177.1. Reproduction of the work or substantial portion of the work;
11
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 11

and 2115 of the Intellectual Property Code.6 Respondents are

officers and employees of GMA Network, Inc. (GMA-7). They are:
Felipe Gozon (Gozon), GMA-7 President; Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr.
(Duavit, Jr.), Executive Vice President; Marissa L. Flores (Flores),
Vice President for News and Public Affairs; Jessica A. Soho (Soho),
Director for News; Grace Dela Peña-Reyes (Dela Peña-Reyes),
Head of News and Public Affairs; John Oliver Manalastas
(Manalastas), Program Manager; and others.
The controversy arose from GMA-7’s news coverage on the
homecoming of Filipino overseas worker and hostage victim
_______________
177.2. Dramatization, translation, adaptation, abridgment, arrangement or other

transformation of the work;
177.3. The first public distribution of the original and each copy of the work by
sale or other forms of transfer of ownership;
177.4. Rental of the original or a copy of an audiovisual or cinematographic work,
a work embodied in a sound recording, a computer program, a compilation of data
and other materials or a musical work in graphic form, irrespective of the ownership
of the original or the copy which is the subject of the rental; (n)
177.5. Public display of the original or a copy of the work;
177.6. Public performance of the work; and
177.7. Other communication to the public of the work. (Sec. 5, P.D. No. 49a)
5 SECTION 211. Scope of Right.—Subject to the provisions of Section 212,
broadcasting organizations shall enjoy the exclusive right to carry out, authorize or
prevent any of the following acts:
211.1. The rebroadcasting of their broadcasts;
211.2. The recording in any manner, including the making of films or the use of
video tape, of their broadcasts for the purpose of communication to the public of
television broadcasts of the same; and
211.3. The use of such records for fresh transmissions or for fresh recording. (Sec.
52, P.D. No. 49)
6 Rep. Act No. 8293 (1997).
12

Angelo dela Cruz on July 22, 2004. As summarized by the Court

of Appeals:
Overseas Filipino worker Angelo dela Cruz was kidnapped by Iraqi

militants and as a condition for his release, a demand was made for the
withdrawal of Filipino troops in Iraq. After negotiations, he was released by
his captors and was scheduled to return to the country in the afternoon of 22
July 2004. Occasioned by said homecoming and the public interest it
generated, both. . . GMA Network, Inc. . . . and [petitioner] made their
respective broadcasts and coverage of the live event.7

ABS-CBN “conducted live audio-video coverage of and broad‐
casted the arrival of Angelo dela Cruz at the Ninoy Aquino
International Airport (NAIA) and the subsequent press conference.”8
ABS-CBN allowed Reuters Television Service (Reuters) to air the
footages it had taken earlier under a special embargo agreement.9
ABS-CBN alleged that under the special embargo agreement,
any of the footages it took would be for the “use of Reuter’s
international subscribers only, and shall be considered and treated by
Reuters under ‘embargo’ against use by other subscribers in the
Philippines. . . . [N]o other Philippine subscriber of Reuters would
be allowed to use ABS-CBN footage without the latter’s consent.”10
GMA-7, to which Gozon, Duavit, Jr., Flores, Soho, Dela Peña-
Reyes, and Manalastas are connected, “assigned and stationed news
reporters and technical men at the NAIA for its live broadcast and
non-live news coverage of the arrival of dela Cruz.”11 GMA-7
subscribes to both Reuters and Cable
_______________
7 Rollo, p. 61.
8 Id.
9 Id.
10 Id., at p. 1392.
11 Id., at p. 61.

13
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 13

News Network (CNN). It received a live video feed of the

coverage of Angelo dela Cruz’s arrival from Reuters.12
GMA-7 immediately carried the live newsfeed in its program
“Flash Report,” together with its live broadcast.13 Allegedly, GMA-
7 did not receive any notice or was not aware that Reuters was airing
footages of ABS-CBN.14 GMA-7’s news control room staff saw
neither the “No Access Philippines” notice nor a notice that the
video feed was under embargo in favor of ABS-CBN.15
On August 13, 2004, ABS-CBN filed the Complaint for copy‐
right infringement under Sections 17716 and 21117 of the Intel-
_______________
12 Id.
13 Id., at pp. 61-62.
14 Id., at p. 62.
15 Id., at p. 1349.
16 SECTION 177. Copyright or Economic Rights.—Subject to the provisions
of Chapter VIII, copyright or economic rights shall consist of the exclusive right to
carry out, authorize or prevent the following acts:
177.2. Dramatization, translation, adaptation, abridgment, arrangement or other
transformation of the work;
177.3. The first public distribution of the original and each copy of the work by
sale or other forms of transfer of ownership;
177.4. Rental of the original or a copy of an audiovisual or cinematographic work,
a work embodied in a sound recording, a computer program, a compilation of data
and other materials or a musical work in graphic form, irrespective of the ownership
of the original or the copy which is the subject of the rental; (n)
177.7. Other communication to the public of the work. (Sec. 5, P.D. No. 49a)
17 SECTION 211. Scope of Right.—Subject to the provisions
14

lectual Property Code.18

On December 3, 2004, Assistant City Prosecutor Dindo
Venturanza issued the Resolution19 finding probable cause to indict
Dela Peña-Reyes and Manalastas.20 Consequently, the Information21
for violation of the Intellectual Property Code was filed on
December 17, 2004. It reads:
That on or about the 22nd of July 2004, in Quezon City, Philippines, the
above named accused, conspiring together, confederating with and mutually
helping each other, being the Head of News Operations and the Program
Manager, respectively, for the News and Public Affairs Department of GMA
Network, Inc., did then and there, willfully, unlawfully and feloniously use
and broadcast the footage of the arrival of Angelo [d]ela Cruz at the Ninoy
Aquino International Airport of which ABS-CBN holds the exclusive
ownership and copyright by then and there using, airing, and broadcasting
the said footage in its news program “FLASH REPORT” without
_______________
of Section 212, broadcasting organizations shall enjoy the exclusive right to carry
out, authorize or prevent any of the following acts:
211.2. The recording in any manner, including the making of films or the use of
video tape, of their broadcasts for the purpose of communication to the public of
television broadcasts of the same; and
211.3. The use of such records for fresh transmissions or for fresh recording. (Sec.
52, P.D. No. 49)
18 Rollo, p. 62. The Complaint was consolidated with GMA-7’s Complaint for
libel against several of ABS-CBN’s employees docketed as I.S. No. 04-9681 in Rollo,
p. 226.
19 Id., at pp. 226-231.
20 Id., at p. 231. The Complaint for libel (I.S. No. 04-9681) filed by respondents
was consolidated with ABS-CBN’s Complaint for copyright infringement (I.S. No.
04-10458). The Resolution dated December 3, 2004 dismissed respondents’
Complaint for libel against Erwin Tulfo, et al.
21 Id., at pp. 233-234.
15
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 15

first obtaining the consent or authority of said copyright owner, to their

damage and prejudice.
Contrary to law.22

On January 4, 2005, respondents filed the Petition for Review
before the Department of Justice.23 In the Resolution (Gonzalez
Resolution) dated August 1, 2005, Department of Justice Secretary
Raul M. Gonzalez (Secretary Gonzalez) ruled in favor of
respondents and held that good faith may be raised as a defense in
the case.24 The dispositive portion of the Resolution reads:
WHEREFORE, THE PETITION FOR REVIEW FILED BY GMA-7 in

I.S. No. 04-10458 is considered meritorious and is hereby GRANTED. This
case is hereby Dismissed, the resolution of the City Prosecutor of Quezon
City is hereby reversed and the same is ordered to withdraw the information
if any and report action taken to this office within ten (10) days.25
(Emphasis in the original)

Both parties moved for reconsideration of the Gonzalez
Resolution.26
Meanwhile, on January 19, 2005, the trial court granted the
Motion to Suspend Proceedings filed earlier by Dela Peña-Reyes
and Manalastas.27 The trial court Order reads:
Perusing the motion, the court finds that a petition for review was filed
with the Department of Justice on
_______________
22 Id., at p. 233.
23 Id., at p. 62.
24 Id., at pp. 63 and 492-495.
25 Id., at p. 495.
26 Id., at p. 64.
27 Id., at p. 63. The Motion prayed that Dela Peña and Manalastas’ Motion to
Quash filed January 10, 2005 be withdrawn and that the arraignment scheduled on
February 1, 2005 be deferred.
16

January 5, 2005 as confirmed by the public prosecutor. Under Section

11(c), Rule 116 of the Rules of Criminal Procedure, once a petition for
review is filed with the Department of Justice, a suspension of the criminal
proceedings may be allowed by the court.
Accordingly, to allow the Department of Justice the opportunity to act on
said petition for review, let the proceedings on this case be suspended for a
period of sixty (60) days counted from January 5, 2005, the date the petition
was filed with the Department of Justice. The arraignment of the accused on
February 1, 2005 is accordingly cancelled. Let the arraignment be
rescheduled to March 8, 2005 at 8:30 a.m. The accused through counsel are
notified in open court.
SO ORDERED.28

On June 29, 2010, Department of Justice Acting Secretary
Alberto C. Agra (Secretary Agra) issued the Resolution (Agra
Resolution) that reversed the Gonzalez Resolution and found
probable cause to charge Dela Peña-Reyes and Manalastas for
violation of the Intellectual Property Code.29 Secretary Agra also
found probable cause to indict Gozon, Duavit, Jr., Flores, and Soho
for the same violation.30 He ruled that:
[w]hile good faith may be a defense in copyright infringement, the same

is a disputable presumption that must be proven in a full-blown trial.
Disputable presumptions may be contradicted and overcome by other
evidence. Thus, a full-blown trial is the proper venue where facts, issues and
laws are evaluated and considered. The very purpose of trial is to allow a
party to present evidence to overcome the disputable presumptions
involved.31
_______________
28 Id., at p. 328.
29 Id., at pp. 569-576.
30 Id.
31 Id., at p. 571.
17
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 17

The dispositive portion of the Agra Resolution provides:
WHEREFORE, premises considered:

(a) The Motion for Reconsideration filed by appellees ABS-CBN
Broadcasting Corporation (ABS-CBN) of our Resolution promulgated on
August 1, 2005 (Resolution No. 364, Series of 2005) and the Petition for
Review filed by complainant-appellant ABS-CBN in I.S. No. 04-10458 on
April 10, 2006, are GRANTED and the City Prosecutor of Quezon City is
hereby ordered to file the necessary Information for violation of Sections
177 and 211 of Republic Act No. 8293 against GMA-7, Felipe L. Gozon,
Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr., Marissa L. Flores, Jessica A. Soho, Grace Dela
Peña-Reyes, John Oliver T. Manalastas[.]
....
SO ORDERED.32 (Emphasis in the original)

Respondents assailed the Agra Resolution through the Petition
for Certiorari with prayer for issuance of a temporary restraining
order and/or Writ of Preliminary Injunction on September 2, 2010
before the Court of Appeals. In the Resolution dated September 13,
2010, the Court of Appeals granted the temporary restraining order
preventing the Department of Justice from enforcing the Agra
Resolution.33
On November 9, 2010, the Court of Appeals rendered the
Decision granting the Petition and reversing and setting aside the
Agra Resolution.34 The Court of Appeals held that Secretary Agra
committed errors of jurisdiction in issuing the assailed Resolution.
Resolving the issue of copyright infringement, the Court of Appeals
said:
_______________
32 Id., at p. 575.
33 Id., at pp. 1171-1172 and 1353.
34 Id., at pp. 60-73.
18
Surely, private respondent has a copyright of its news coverage.

to protect copyright owners from infringement. However, it is an admitted
fact that petitioner GMA had only aired a five (5)-second footage of the
disputed live video feed that it had received from Reuters and CNN as a
subscriber. Indeed, petitioners had no notice of the right of ownership of
private respondent over the same. Without notice of the “No Access
Philippines” restriction of the live video feed, petitioner cannot be faulted
for airing a live video feed from Reuters and CNN.
Verily, as aptly opined by Secretary Gonzalez in his earlier Resolution,
the act of petitioners in airing the five (5)-second footage was undeniably
attended by good faith and it thus serves to exculpate them from criminal
liability under the Code. While the Intellectual Property Code is a special
law, and thus generally categorized as malum prohibitum, it bears to stress
that the provisions of the Code itself do not ipso facto penalize a person or
entity for copyright infringement by the mere fact that one had used a
copyrighted work or material.
Certainly so, in the exercise of one’s moral and economic or copyrights,
the very provisions of Part IV of the Intellectual Property Code provide for
the scope and limitations on copyright protection under Section 184 and in
fact permit fair use of copyrighted work under Section 185. With the
aforesaid statutory limitations on one’s economic and copyrights and the
allowable instances where the other persons can legally use a copyrighted
work, criminal culpability clearly attaches only when the infringement had
been knowingly and intentionally committed.35 (Emphasis supplied)

The dispositive portion of the Decision reads:
_______________
35 Id., at pp. 68-69.
19
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 19

WHEREFORE, the foregoing considered, the instant petition is hereby

GRANTED and the assailed Resolution dated 29 June 2010 REVERSED
and SET ASIDE. Accordingly, the earlier Resolution dated 1 August 2005,
which ordered the withdrawal of the Information filed, if any, against the
petitioners for violation of Sections 177 and 211 of the Intellectual Property
Code, is hereby REINSTATED. No costs.
SO ORDERED.36 (Emphasis in the original)

ABS-CBN’s Motion for Reconsideration was denied.37 It then
filed its Petition for Review before this court assailing the Decision
and Resolution of the Court of Appeals.38
The issues for this court’s consideration are:
First, whether Secretary Agra committed errors of jurisdiction in
the Resolution dated June 29, 2010 and, therefore, whether a petition
for certiorari was the proper remedy in assailing that Resolution;
Second, whether news footage is copyrightable under the law;
Third, whether there was fair use of the broadcast material;
Fourth, whether lack of knowledge that a material is copyrighted
is a defense against copyright infringement;
Fifth, whether good faith is a defense in a criminal prosecution
for violation of the Intellectual Property Code; and
Lastly, whether the Court of Appeals was correct in overturning
Secretary Agra’s finding of probable cause.
_______________
36 Id., at p. 72.
37 Id., at pp. 76-77.
38 Id., at p. 14.
20

I

The trial court granted respondents’ Motion to Suspend
Proceedings and deferred respondents Dela Peña-Reyes and
Manalastas’ arraignment for 60 days in view of the Petition for
Review filed before the Department of Justice.
Rule 116, Section 11(c) of the Rules of Criminal Procedure
allows the suspension of the accused’s arraignment in certain
circumstances only:
SEC. 11. Suspension of arraignment.—Upon motion by the proper

party, the arraignment shall be suspended in the following cases:
(a) The accused appears to be suffering from an unsound mental
condition which effectively renders him unable to fully understand the
charge against him and to plead intelligently thereto. In such case, the court
shall order his mental examination and, if necessary, his confinement for
such purpose;
(b) There exists a prejudicial question; and
(c) A petition for review of the resolution of the prosecutor is pending
at either the Department of Justice, or the Office of the President; provided,
that the period of suspension shall not exceed sixty (60) days counted from
the filing of the petition with the reviewing office. (12a) (Emphasis supplied)

In Samson v. Daway,39 this court acknowledged the applicability
of Rule 116, Section (c) in a criminal prosecution for infringement
under the Intellectual Property Code. However, this court
emphasized the limits of the order of deferment under the Rule:
While the pendency of a petition for review is a ground for suspension of

the arraignment, the . . . provi-
_______________
39 478 Phil. 784; 434 SCRA 612 (2004) [Per J. Ynares-Santiago, First Division].
21
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sion limits the deferment of the arraignment to a period of 60 days

reckoned from the filing of the petition with the reviewing office. It follows,
therefore, that after the expiration of said period, the trial court is bound to
arraign the accused or to deny the motion to defer arraignment.40

We clarify that the suspension of the arraignment should always
be within the limits allowed by law. In Crespo v. Judge Mogul,41 this
court outlined the effects of filing an information before the trial
court, which includes initiating a criminal action and giving this
court “authority to hear and determine the case:”42
The preliminary investigation conducted by the fiscal for the purpose of

determining whether a prima facie case exists warranting the prosecution of
the accused is terminated upon the filing of the information in the proper
court. In turn, as above stated, the filing of said information sets in motion
the criminal action against the accused in Court. Should the fiscal find it
proper to conduct a reinvestigation of the case, at such stage, the
permission of the Court must be secured. After such reinvestigation the
finding and recommendations of the fiscal should be submitted to the Court
for appropriate action. While it is true that the fiscal has the quasi-judicial
discretion to determine whether or not a criminal case should be filed in
court or not, once the case had already been brought to Court whatever
disposition the fiscal may feel should be proper in the case thereafter should
be addressed for the consideration of the Court, the only qualification is that
the action of the Court must not im-
_______________
40 Id., at p. 793; p. 621. See also Trinidad v. Ang, 656 Phil. 216; 641 SCRA 214
(2011) [Per J. Brion, Third Division].
41 235 Phil. 465; 151 SCRA 462 (1987) [Per J. Gancayco, En Banc]. See also J.
Leonen’s Separate Concurring Opinion in Estrada v. Office of the Ombudsman, G.R.
Nos. 212140-41, January 21, 2015, 748 SCRA 1 [Per J. Carpio, En Banc].
42 Crespo V. Mogul, id., at p. 474; p. 469.
22

pair the substantial rights of the accused or the right of the People to due
process of law.
Whether the accused had been arraigned or not and whether it was due
to a reinvestigation by the fiscal or a review by the Secretary of Justice
whereby a motion to dismiss was submitted to the Court, the Court in the
exercise of its discretion may grant the motion or deny it and require that
the trial on the merits proceed for the proper determination of the case.
However, one may ask, if the trial court refuses to grant the motion to
dismiss filed by the fiscal upon the directive of the Secretary of Justice will
there not be a vacuum in the prosecution? A state prosecutor to handle the
case cannot possibly be designated by the Secretary of Justice who does not
believe that there is a basis for prosecution nor can the fiscal be expected to
handle the prosecution of the case thereby defying the superior order of the
Secretary of Justice.
The answer is simple. The role of the fiscal or prosecutor as We all know
is to see that justice is done and not necessarily to secure the conviction of
the person accused before the Courts. Thus, in spite of his opinion to the
contrary, it is the duty of the fiscal to proceed with the presentation of
evidence of the prosecution to the Court to enable the Court to arrive at its
own independent judgment as to whether the accused should be convicted
or acquitted. The fiscal should not shirk from the responsibility of appearing
for the People of the Philippines even under such circumstances much less
should he abandon the prosecution of the case leaving it to the hands of a
private prosecutor for then the entire proceedings will be null and void. The
least that the fiscal should do is to continue to appear for the prosecution
although he may turn over the presentation of the evidence to the private
prosecutor but still under his direction and control.
The rule therefore in this jurisdiction is that once a complaint or
information is filed in Court any disposition of the case as to its dismissal or
the conviction or acquittal of the accused rests in the sound discretion of the
23
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 23

Court. Although the fiscal retains the direction and control of the
prosecution of criminal cases even while the case is already in Court he
cannot impose his opinion on the trial court. The Court is the best and sole
judge on what to do with the case before it. The determination of the case is
within its exclusive jurisdiction and competence. A motion to dismiss the
case filed by the fiscal should be addressed to the Court who has the option
to grant or deny the same. It does not matter if this is done before or after
the arraignment of the accused or that the motion was filed after a
reinvestigation or upon instructions of the Secretary of Justice who
reviewed the records of the investigation.43 (Emphasis supplied, citations
omitted)

The doctrine in Crespo was reiterated in Mayor Balindong v.
Court of Appeals,44 where this court reminded the Department of
Justice Secretary to refrain from entertaining petitions for review
when the case is already pending with this court:
[I]n order to avoid a situation where the opinion of the Secretary of

Justice who reviewed the action of the fiscal may be disregarded by the trial
court, the Secretary of Justice should, as far as practicable, refrain from
entertaining a petition for review or appeal from the action of the fiscal,
when the complaint or information has already been filed in the Court. The
matter should be left entirely for the determination of the Court.45

The trial court should have proceeded with respondents Dela
Peña-Reyes and Manalastas’ arraignment after the 60-day period
from the filing of the Petition for Review before the Department of
Justice on March 8, 2005. It was only on Sep-
_______________
43 Id., at pp. 474-476; p. 471.

44 488 Phil. 203; 447 SCRA 200 (2004) [Per J. Chico-Nazario, Second Division].
45 Id., at p. 216; pp. 212-213.
24

tember 13, 2010 that the temporary restraining order was issued
by the Court of Appeals. The trial court erred when it did not act on
the criminal case during the interim period. It had full control and
direction of the case. As Judge Mogul reasoned in denying the
motion to dismiss in Crespo, failure to proceed with the arraignment
“disregards the requirements of due process [and] erodes the Court’s
independence and integrity.”46

II

According to ABS-CBN, the Court of Appeals erred in finding
that: a motion for reconsideration was not necessary before a
petition for certiorari could be filed; the Department of Justice
Secretary committed errors of jurisdiction since the Agra Resolution
was issued within its authority and in accordance with settled laws
and jurisprudence; and respondents were not liable for copyright
infringement.
In its assailed Decision, the Court of Appeals found that
respondents committed a procedural error when they failed to file a
motion for reconsideration before filing the Petition for Certiorari.
However, the Court of Appeals held that a motion for
reconsideration was unnecessary since the Agra Resolution was a
patent nullity and it would have been useless under the
circumstances:
Given that a reading of the assailed Resolution and the instant records
readily reveals errors of jurisdiction on the part of respondent Secretary,
direct judicial recourse is warranted under the circumstances. Aside from
the fact that said Resolution is a patent nullity having been issued in grave
abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction, the filing of
a motion for reconsideration is evidently useless on account of the fact that
the issues and arguments before this Court have already been duly raised
and accordingly delved into by re-
_______________
46 Crespo v. Mogul, supra note 41 at p. 470; p. 466.
25
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 25

spondent Secretary in his disposition of the petition a quo.47 (Emphasis

in the original)

In Elma v. Jacobi,48 this court ruled that a petition for certiorari
under Rule 65 of the Rules of Court is proper when assailing adverse
resolutions of the Department of Justice stemming from the
determination of probable cause.49 However, grave abuse of
discretion must be alleged.50
In Sanrio Company Limited v. Lim,51 this court stressed the
prosecutor’s role in determining probable cause. Judicial review will
only lie when it is shown that the prosecutor acted with grave abuse
of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction:
A prosecutor alone determines the sufficiency of evidence that will

establish probable cause justifying the filing of a criminal information
against the respondent. By way of exception, however, judicial review is
allowed where respondent has clearly established that the prosecutor
committed grave abuse of discretion. Otherwise stated, such review is
appropriate only when the prosecutor has exercised his discretion in an
arbitrary, capricious, whimsical or despotic manner by reason of passion or
personal hostility, patent and gross enough to amount to
_______________
47 Rollo, p. 67.
48 G.R. No. 155996, June 27, 2012, 675 SCRA 20 [Per J. Brion, Second
Division].
49 Id., at p. 48, citing Alcaraz v. Gonzalez, 533 Phil. 797; 503 SCRA 355 (2006)
[Per J. Callejo, Sr., First Division]. This court, however, differentiated cases involving
an offense punishable by reclusion perpetua to death from those that do not. Cases
that involve an offense not punishable by reclusion perpetua to death cannot be
appealed to the Office of the President and, thus, “leaves a certiorari petition as the
only remedial avenue left.”
50 Id.
51 569 Phil. 630; 546 SCRA 303 (2008) [Per J. Corona, First Division].
26

an evasion of a positive duty or virtual refusal to perform a duty enjoined

by law.52 (Citations omitted)

Grave abuse of discretion refers to:
such capricious and whimsical exercise of judgment as is equivalent to

lack of jurisdiction. The abuse of discretion must be grave as where the
power is exercised in an arbitrary or despotic manner by reason of passion
or personal hostility and must be so patent and gross as to amount to an
evasion of positive duty or to a virtual refusal to perform the duty enjoined
by or to act at all in contemplation of law.53

Resorting to certiorari requires that there be “no appeal, or any
plain, speedy, and adequate remedy in the ordinary course of
law[,]”54 such as a motion for reconsideration. Gen-
_______________
52 Id., at p. 640; p. 313. See Glaxosmithkline Philippines, Inc. v. Khalid

Mehmood Malik, 530 Phil. 662; 499 SCRA 268 (2006) [Per J. Garcia, Second
Division], citing Punzalan v. De La Pena, 478 Phil. 771; 434 SCRA 601 (2004) [Per
J. Ynares-Santiago, First Division]; Cabahug v. People, 426 Phil. 490; 376 SCRA 113
(2002) [Per J. Ynares-Santiago, First Division]; and Baylon v. Office of the
Ombudsman, 423 Phil. 705; 372 SCRA 437 (2001) [Per J. Pardo, First Division].
53 Asetre v. Asetre, 602 Phil. 840, 853; 584 SCRA 471, 483 (2009) [Per J.
Quisumbing, Second Division], citing D.M. Consunji, Inc. v. Esguerra, 328 Phil.
1168; 260 SCRA 74 (1996) [Per J. Panganiban, Third Division].
54 Rules of Court, Rule 65, Sec. 1. Petition for certiorari.—When any tribunal,
board or officer exercising judicial or quasi-judicial functions has acted without or in
excess of its or his jurisdiction, or with grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or
excess of jurisdiction, and there is no appeal, or any plain, speedy, and adequate
remedy in the ordinary course of law, a person aggrieved thereby may file a verified
petition in the proper court, alleging the facts with certainty and praying that
judgment be rendered annulling or modifying the proceedings of such tribunal, board
or officer, and granting such incidental reliefs as law and justice may require[.]
27
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 27

erally, “a motion for reconsideration is a condition sine qua non

before a petition for certiorari may lie, its purpose being to grant an
opportunity for the [tribunal or officer] to correct any error attributed
to it by a reexamination of the legal and factual circumstances of the
case.”55
However, exceptions to the rule exist:
(a) where the order is a patent nullity, as where the Court a quo had no
jurisdiction; (b) where the questions raised in the certiorari proceeding have
been duly raised and passed upon by the lower court, or are the same as
those raised and passed upon in the lower court; (c) where there is an urgent
necessity for the resolution of the question and any further delay would
prejudice the interests of the Government or of the petitioner or the subject
matter of the action is perishable; (d) where, under the circumstances, a
motion for reconsideration would be useless; (e) where petitioner was
deprived of due process and there is extreme urgency for relief; (f) where, in
a criminal case, relief from an order of arrest is urgent and the granting of
such relief by the trial Court is improbable; (g) where the proceedings in the
lower court are a nullity for lack of due process; (h) where the proceedings
was ex parte or in which the petitioner had
_______________
55 HPS Software and Communication v. Philippine Long Distance Telephone

Company (PLDT), G.R. No. 170217, December 10, 2012, 687 SCRA 426, 452 [Per J.
Leonardo-De Castro, First Division]. See Medado v. Heirs of the Late Antonio
Consing, G.R. No. 186720, February 8, 2012, 665 SCRA 534 [Per J. Reyes, Second
Division]; Estrada v. Office of the Ombudsman, supra note 41 at

p. 54, citing Delos Reyes v. Flores, 628 Phil. 170; 614 SCRA 270 (2010) [Per J.
Carpio, Second Division]; Cervantes v. Court of Appeals, 512 Phil. 210; 475 SCRA
562 (2005) [Per J. Ynares-Santiago, First Division]; Flores v. Sangguniang
Panlalawigan of Pampanga, 492 Phil. 377; 452 SCRA 278 (2005) [Per J. Sandoval-
Gutierrez, Third Division]. See also Bokingo v. Court of Appeals, 523 Phil. 186; 489
SCRA 521 (2006) [Per J. Callejo, Sr., First Division] and Yao v. Perello, 460 Phil.
658; 414 SCRA 474 (2003) [Per J. Corona, Third Division].
28

no opportunity to object; and (i) where the issue raised is one purely of
law or where public interest is involved.56 (Emphasis in the original,
citations omitted)

As argued by respondents, “[a] second motion for
reconsideration would have been useless and futile since the
D[epartment] [of] J[ustice] had already passed upon the same issues
twice.”57 Equally pressing under the circumstances was the need to
resolve the matter, as the Information’s filing would lead to
respondents’ imminent arrest.58
Moreover, Department of Justice Department Circular No. 70
dated July 3, 2000, or the 2000 NPS Rules on Appeal, provides that
no second motion for reconsideration of the Department of Justice
Secretary’s resolution shall be entertained:
SECTION 13. Motion for reconsideration.—The aggrieved party may

file a motion for reconsideration within a non-extendible period of ten (10)
days from receipt of the resolution on appeal, furnishing the adverse party
and the Prosecution Office concerned with copies thereof and submitting
proof of such service. No second or further motion for reconsideration shall
be entertained.
_______________
56 Tan v. Court of Appeals, 341 Phil. 570, 576-578; 275 SCRA 568, 574-575
(1997) [Per J. Francisco, Third Division] as cited in Estrada v. Office of the
Ombudsman, id., at p. 55. See Republic Gas Corporation v. Petron Corporation, G.R.
No. 194062, June 17, 2013, 698 SCRA 666, 676-677 [Per J. Peralta, Second
Division]. See also Republic v. Pantranco North Express, Inc. (PNEI), G.R. No.
178593, February 15, 2012, 666 SCRA 199, 205-206 [Per J. Villarama, Jr., First
Division], citing Sim v. National Labor Relations Commission, 560 Phil. 762; 534
SCRA 515 (2007) [Per J. Austria-Martinez, Third Division]; HPS Software and
Communication v. Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), id.
57 Rollo, p. 1383.
58 Id., at p. 1384.
29
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 29

The Agra Resolution was the result of respondents’ Motion for

Reconsideration assailing the Gonzalez Resolution. To file a motion
for reconsideration of the Agra Resolution would be superfluous.
Respondents were, therefore, correct in filing the Petition for
Certiorari of the Agra Resolution before the Court of Appeals.

III

The Court of Appeals ruled that Secretary Agra committed errors
of jurisdiction, which then required the grant of the writ of
certiorari:
So viewed, by ordering the filing of information without proof that

probable cause exists to charge petitioners with a crime, respondent
Secretary clearly committed an error of jurisdiction thus warranting the
issuance of the writ of certiorari. Surely, probable cause cannot be had
when the very provisions of the statute exculpates criminal liability in cases
classified as fair use of copyrighted materials. The fact that they admittedly
used the Reuters live video feed is not, as a matter of course, tantamount to
copyright infringement that would justify the filing of an information
against the petitioners.59

Error of jurisdiction must be distinguished from error of
judgment:
A line must be drawn between errors of judgment and errors of

jurisdiction. An error of judgment is one which the court may commit in the
exercise of its jurisdiction. An error of jurisdiction renders an order or judg-
_______________
59 Id., at pp. 71-72.
30

ment void or voidable. Errors of jurisdiction are reviewable on

certiorari; errors of judgment, only by appeal.60

In People v. Hon. Sandiganbayan:61

An error of judgment is one which the court may commit in the exercise
of its jurisdiction. An error of jurisdiction is one where the act complained
of was issued by the court without or in excess of jurisdiction, or with grave
abuse of discretion, which is tantamount to lack or in excess of jurisdiction
and which error is correctible only by the extraordinary writ of certiorari.
Certiorari will not be issued to cure errors of the trial court in its
appreciation of the evidence of the parties, or its conclusions anchored on
the said findings and its conclusions of law.62 (Emphasis supplied)
This court has adopted a deferential attitude towards review of

the executive’s finding of probable cause.63 This is
_______________
60 Fernando v. Vasquez, No. L-26417, January 30, 1970, 31 SCRA 288, 292 [Per
J. Sanchez, En Banc]. See Philippine National Construction Corporation v. Court of
Appeals, 541 Phil. 658, 672; 512 SCRA 684, 698 (2007): “An error of judgment is
one which the court may commit in the exercise of its jurisdiction, and which error is
reviewable only by an appeal. On the other hand, an error of jurisdiction is one where
the act complained of was issued by the court, officer or a quasi-judicial body without
or in excess of jurisdiction, or with grave abuse of discretion which is tantamount to
lack or in excess of jurisdiction. This error is correctable only by the extraordinary
writ of certiorari.”
61 645 Phil. 379; 631 SCRA 128 (2010) [Per J. Peralta, Second Division].
62 Id., at pp. 384-385; p. 133, citing First Corporation v. Former Sixth Division of
the Court of Appeals, 553 Phil. 527, 541; 526 SCRA 564, 578 (2007) [Per J. Chico-
Nazario, Third Division].
63 Punzalan v. Plata, G.R. No. 160316, September 2, 2013, 704 SCRA 426, 439-
442 [Per J. Mendoza, Third Division], citing Paredes v. Calilung, 546 Phil. 198, 224;
517 SCRA 369, 394 (2007) [Per J. Chico-Nazario, Third Division].
31
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 31
based “not only upon the respect for the investigatory and
[prosecutorial] powers granted by the Constitution to the executive
department but upon practicality as well.”64 Review of the
Department of Justice Secretary’s decision or resolution will be
allowed only when grave abuse of discretion is alleged:
The full discretionary authority to determine probable cause in a

preliminary investigation to ascertain sufficient ground for the filing of
information rests with the executive branch. Hence, judicial review of the
resolution of the Secretary of Justice is limited to a determination whether
there has been a grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of
jurisdiction. Courts cannot substitute the executive branch’s judgment.
....
It is only where the decision of the Justice Secretary is tainted with grave
abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction that the
Court of Appeals may take cognizance of the case in a petition for certiorari
under Rule 65 of the Revised Rules of Civil Procedure. The Court of
Appeals decision may then be appealed to this Court by way of a petition
for review on certiorari.65 (Emphasis supplied, citations omitted)

In this case, it must be shown that Secretary Agra exceeded his
authority when he reversed the findings of Secretary Gonzalez. This
court must determine whether there is probable cause to file an
information for copyright infringement under the Intellectual
Property Code.

IV

Probable cause pertains to “such facts as are sufficient to
engender a well-founded belief that a crime has been commit-

_______________
64 Id., at pp. 439-440, citing Buan v. Matugas, 556 Phil. 110, 119; 529 SCRA
263, 270 (2007) [Per J. Garcia, First Division].
65 Asetre v. Asetre, supra note 53 at pp. 852-854; p. 483.
32

ted and that respondent is probably guilty thereof.”66 Preliminary
investigation is the inquiry or proceeding to determine whether there
is probable cause.67
In Webb v. De Leon,68 this court ruled that determination of
probable cause during preliminary investigation does not require
trial-like evaluation of evidence since existence of probable cause
does not equate to guilt:
It ought to be emphasized that in determining probable cause, the

average man weighs facts and circumstances without resorting to the
calibrations of our technical rules of evidence of which his knowledge is nil.
Rather, he relies on the calculus of common sense of which all reasonable
men have an abundance.
....
. . . A finding of probable cause merely binds over the suspect to stand
trial. It is not a pronouncement of guilt.69

In Reyes v. Pearlbank Securities, Inc.,70 finding probable cause is
not equivalent to finding with moral certainty that the accused
committed the crime:

A finding of probable cause needs only to rest on evidence showing that

more likely than not a crime has been committed by the suspects. It need not
be based on clear and convincing evidence of guilt, not on evidence
establishing guilt beyond reasonable doubt, and definitely not on evidence
establishing absolute certainty of guilt. In determining probable cause, the
average man weighs
_______________
66 Reyes v. Pearlbank Securities, Inc., 582 Phil. 505, 518; 560 SCRA 518, 533-
534 (2008) [Per J. Chico-Nazario, Third Division].
67 1985 Rev. Rules of Crim. Proc., Rule 112, Sec. 1, Par. 1.
68 317 Phil. 758; 247 SCRA 652 (1995) [Per J. Puno, Second Division].
69 Id., at pp. 780-789; p. 676.
70 Reyes v. Pearlbank Securities, Inc., supra.
33
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 33

facts and circumstances without resorting to the calibrations of the rules

of evidence of which he has no technical knowledge. He relies on common
sense.71

During preliminary investigation, a public prosecutor does not
adjudicate on the parties’ rights, obligations, or liabilities.72
In the recent case of Estrada v. Office of the Ombudsman, et al.,73
we reiterated Webb on the determination of probable cause during
preliminary investigation and traced the history of probable cause as
borrowed from American jurisprudence:
The purpose in determining probable cause is to make sure that the

courts are not clogged with weak cases that will only be dismissed, as well
as to spare a person from the travails of a needless prosecution.
....
. . . In the United States, from where we borrowed the concept of
probable cause, the prevailing definition of probable cause is this:
In dealing with probable cause, however, as the very name implies, we
deal with probabilities. These are not technical; they are the factual and
practical considerations of everyday life on which reasonable and prudent
men, not legal technicians, act. The standard of proof is accordingly
correlative to what must be proved.
“The substance of all the definitions” of probable cause “is a reasonable
ground for belief of guilt.” McCarthy v. De Armit, 99 Pa. St. 63, 69, quoted
with approval in the Carroll opinion. 267 U.S. at 161. And this “means less
than evi
_______________
71 Id., at p. 519; p. 534. See also Webb v. De Leon, supra note 68.
72 See Manila Electric Company v. Atilano, G.R. No. 166758, June 27, 2012, 675
SCRA 112, 125 [Per J. Brion, Second Division].
73 Estrada v. Office of the Ombudsman, supra note 41.
34

dence which would justify condemnation” or conviction, as Marshall,

C.J., said for the Court more than a century ago in Locke v. United States, 7
Cranch 339, 348. Since Marshall’s time, at any rate, it has come to mean
more than bare suspicion: Probable cause exists where “the facts and
circumstances within their [the officers’] knowledge and of which they had
reasonably trustworthy information [are] sufficient in themselves to warrant
a man of reasonable caution in the belief that” an offense has been or is
being committed. Carroll v. United States, 267 U.S. 132, 162.
These long-prevailing standards seek to safeguard citizens from rash and
unreasonable interferences with privacy and from unfounded charges of
crime. They also seek to give fair leeway for enforcing the law in the
community’s protection. Because many situations which confront officers in
the course of executing their duties are more or less ambiguous, room must
be allowed for some mistakes on their part. But the mistakes must be those
of reasonable men, acting on facts leading sensibly to their conclusions of
probability. The rule of probable cause is a practical, nontechnical
conception affording the best compromise that has been found for
accommodating these often opposing interests. Requiring more would
unduly hamper law enforcement. To allow less would be to leave law-
abiding citizens at the mercy of the officers’ whim or caprice.
In the Philippines, there are four instances in the Revised Rules of
Criminal Procedure where probable cause is needed to be established:
(1) In Sections 1 and 3 of Rule 112: By the investigating officer, to
determine whether there is sufficient ground to engender a well-founded
belief that a crime has been committed and the respondent is probably guilty
thereof, and
35
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 35

should be held for trial. A preliminary investigation is required before

the filing of a complaint or information for an offense where the penalty
prescribed by law is at least four years, two months and one day without
regard to the fine;
(2) In Sections 6 and 9 of Rule 112: By the judge, to determine whether a
warrant of arrest or a commitment order, if the accused has already been
arrested, shall be issued and that there is a necessity of placing the
respondent under immediate custody in order not to frustrate the ends of
justice;
(3) In Section 5(b) of Rule 113: By a peace officer or a private person
making a warrantless arrest when an offense has just been committed, and
he has probable cause to believe based on personal knowledge of facts or
circumstances that the person to be arrested has committed it; and
(4) In Section 4 of Rule 126: By the judge, to determine whether a search
warrant shall be issued, and only upon probable cause in connection with
one specific offense to be determined personally by the judge after
examination under oath or affirmation of the complainant and the witnesses
he may produce, and particularly describing the place to be searched and the
things to be seized which may be anywhere in the Philippines.
In all these instances, the evidence necessary to establish probable cause
is based only on the likelihood, or probability, of guilt.74
_______________
74 Id., at pp. 44, 47-49, citing Brinegar v. United States, 338 U.S. 160, 175-176
(1949).
36
Estrada also highlighted that a “[p]reliminary investigation is not

part of the criminal action. It is merely preparatory and may even be
disposed of in certain situations.”75
To determine whether there is probable cause that respondents
committed copyright infringement, a review of the elements of the
crime, including the existing facts, is required.

V

ABS-CBN claims that news footage is subject to copyright and
prohibited use of copyrighted material is punishable under the
Intellectual Property Code. It argues that the new footage is not a
“newsworthy event” but “merely an account of the arrival of Angelo
dela Cruz in the Philippines — the latter being the newsworthy
event”:76
To be clear, it is the event itself or the arrival of Angelo dela Cruz which
is not copyrightable because that is the newsworthy event. However, any
footage created from the event itself, in this case the arrival of Angelo dela
Cruz, are intellectual creations which are copyrightable. Thus, the footage
created by ABS-CBN during the arrival of Angelo dela Cruz, which
includes the statements of Dindo Amparo, are copyrightable and protected
by the laws on copyright.77

On the other hand, respondents argue that ABS-CBN’s news
footage of Angelo dela Cruz’s arrival is not copyrightable or subject
to protection:
Certainly, the arrival of Angelo [d]ela Cruz, which aroused public

attention and the consciousness of the Filipino people with regard to their
countrymen, OFWs
_______________
75 See J. Leonen’s Separate Concurring Opinion in Estrada v. Office of the

Ombudsman, id.
76 Rollo, p. 1432.
77 Id.
37
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 37


working in foreign countries and how the Philippine government

responds to the issues concerning them, is “news.” There is no ingenuity or
inventiveness added in the said news footage. The video footage of this
“news” is not copyrightable by any legal standard as facts of everyday life
depicted in the news and items of press information is part of the public
domain.78 (Emphasis in the original)

The news footage is copyrightable.
The Intellectual Property Code is clear about the rights afforded
to authors of various kinds of work. Under the Code, “works are
protected by the sole fact of their creation, irrespective of their mode
or form of expression, as well as of their content, quality and
purpose.”79 These include “[a]udiovisual works and
cinematographic works and works produced by a process analogous
to cinematography or any process for making audiovisual
recordings.”80
Contrary to the old copyright law,81 the Intellectual Property
Code does not require registration of the work to fully
_______________
78 Id., at p. 1375.
79 Rep. Act No. 8293 (1997), Sec. 172.2.
80 Rep. Act No. 8293 (1997), Sec. 172.1(1).
81 Pres. Decree No. 49 (1972), Decree on the Protection of Intellectual Property.
Article V, Section 26. After the first public dissemination or performance by
authority of the copyright owner of a work falling under subsections (A), (B), (C) and
(D) of Section 2 of this Decree, there shall, within three weeks, be registered and
deposited with the National Library, by personal delivery or by registered mail, two
complete copies or reproductions of the work in such form as the Director of said
library may prescribe. A certificate of registration and deposit for which the
prescribed fee shall be collected. If, within three weeks after receipt by the copyright
owner of a written demand from the director for such deposit, the required copies or
reproductions are not delivered and the fee is not paid, the copyright owner shall be
liable to pay to the National Library the amount of the retail price of the best edition
of the work.
38

recover in an infringement suit. Nevertheless, both copyright

laws provide that copyright for a work is acquired by an intellectual
creator from the moment of creation.82
It is true that under Section 175 of the Intellectual Property Code,
“news of the day and other miscellaneous facts having the character
of mere items of press information” are considered unprotected
subject matter.83 However, the Code does not state that expression of
the news of the day, particularly when it underwent a creative
process, is not entitled to protection.
An idea or event must be distinguished from the expression of
that idea or event. An idea has been likened to a ghost in that it
“must be spoken to a little before it will explain itself.”84 It is a
concept that has eluded exact legal definition.85
_______________
With or without a demand from the director, a copyright owner who has not made
such deposit shall not be entitled to recover damages in an infringement suit and shall
be limited to the other remedies specified in Section 23 of this Decree. (Emphasis
supplied)
82 See Pres. Dec. No. 49 (1972), Sec. 2 and Rep. Act No. 8293 (1997), Sec.
172.1. However, this court has already clarified that registration is not required for
copyright to subsist. See Columbia Pictures, Inc. v. Court of Appeals, 329 Phil. 875;
261 SCRA 144 (1996) [Per J. Regalado, En Banc]. It was held that noncompliance
with the registration requirement “merely limits the remedies available to him and
subjects him to the corresponding sanction.”
83 Rep. Act No. 8293 (1997), Sec. 175. Unprotected Subject Matter.—
Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 172 and 173, no protection shall extend,
under this law, to any idea, procedure, system, method or operation, concept,
principle, discovery or mere data as such, even if they are expressed, explained,
illustrated or embodied in a work; news of the day and other miscellaneous facts
having the character of mere items of press information; or any official text of a
legislative, administrative or legal nature, as well as any official translation thereof.
(n)
84 Robert Yale Libott, Round the Prickly Pear: The Idea-Expression Fallacy in a
Mass Communications World, 16 COPYRIGHT L. SYMP. 30, 32 (1966).
39
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 39

To get a better grasp of the idea/expression dichotomy, the

etymology of the term “idea” is traced:
The word “idea” is derived from a Greek term, meaning “a form, the
look or appearance of a thing as opposed to its reality, from idein, to see.” In
the Timaeus, Plato saw ideas as eternal paradigms, independent objects to
which the divine demiurge looks as patterns in forming the world. This was
later modified to the religious conception of ideas as the thoughts of God.
“It is not a very long step to extend the term ‘idea’ to cover patterns,
blueprints, or plans in anyone’s mind, not only in God’s.” The word entered
the French and English vernacular in the 1600s and possessed two
meanings. The first was the Platonic meaning of a perfect exemplar or
paradigm. The second, which probably has its origin with Descartes, is of a
mental concept or image or, more broadly, any object of the mind when it is
active. Objects of thought may exist independently. The sun exists
(probably) before and after you think of it. But it is also possible to think of
things that have never existed, such as a unicorn or Pegasus. John Locke
defined ideas very comprehensively, to include: all objects of the mind.
Language was a way of translating the invisible, hidden ideas that make up
a person’s thoughts into the external, perceptible world of articulate sounds
and visible written symbols that others can understand.86 (Citations omitted)

There is no one legal definition of “idea” in this jurisdiction. The
term “idea” is mentioned only once in the Intellectual Property
Code.87 In Joaquin, Jr. v. Drilon,88 a television for-

_______________
85 Id., at pp. 32-39. See also Leslie A. Kurtz, Speaking to the Ghost: Idea and
Expression in Copyright, 47 u. Miami l. Rev. 1221, 1222 (1992-1993).
86 Leslie A. Kurtz, id., at pp. 1241-1243.
87 See Rep. Act No. 8293 (1997), Sec. 175.
88 G.R. No. 108946, January 28, 1999, 302 SCRA 225 [Per J. Mendoza, Second
Division].
40

mat (i.e., a dating show format) is not copyrightable under

Section 2 of Presidential Decree No. 49;89 it is a mere concept:

P.D. No. 49, §2, in enumerating what are subject to copyright, refers to
finished works and not to concepts. The copyright does not extend to an
idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or
discovery, regardless of the form in which it is described, explained,
illustrated, or embodied in such work. Thus, the new INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES provides:
SEC. 175. Unprotected Subject Matter.—Notwithstanding the
provisions of Sections 172 and 173, no protection shall extend, under this
law, to any idea, procedure, system, method or operation, concept, principle,
discovery or mere data as such, even if they are expressed, explained,
illustrated or embodied in a work; news of the day and other miscellaneous
facts having the character of mere items of press information; or any official
text of a legislative, administrative or legal nature, as well as any official
translation thereof.
What then is the subject matter of petitioners’ copyright? This Court is of
the opinion that petitioner BJPI’s copyright covers audiovisual recordings of
each episode of Rhoda and Me, as falling within the class of works
mentioned in P.D. 49, §2(M), to wit:
Cinematographic works and works produced by a process analogous to
cinematogra-
_______________
89 Section 2. The rights granted by this Decree shall, from the moment of

creation, subsist with respect to any of the following classes of works:
....
(M) Cinematographic works and works produced by a process analogous to
cinematography or any process for making audiovisual recordings[.]
41
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 41

phy or any process for making audiovisual recordings;

The copyright does not extend to the general concept or format of its
dating game show. Accordingly, by the very nature of the subject of
petitioner BJPI’s copyright, the investigating prosecutor should have the
opportunity to compare the videotapes of the two shows.
Mere description by words of the general format of the two dating game
shows is insufficient; the presentation of the master videotape in evidence
was indispensable to the determination of the existence of probable cause.
As aptly observed by respondent Secretary of Justice:
A television show includes more than mere words can describe because it
involves a whole spectrum of visuals and effects, video and audio, such that
no similarity or dissimilarity may be found by merely describing the general
copyright/format of both dating game shows.90 (Emphasis supplied,
citations omitted)

Ideas can be either abstract or concrete.91 It is the concrete ideas
that are generally referred to as expression:

The words “abstract” and “concrete” arise in many cases dealing with
the idea/expression distinction. The Nichols court, for example, found that
the defendant’s film did not infringe the plaintiff’s play because it was “too
generalized an abstraction from what plaintiff wrote . . . only a part of her
ideas.” In Eichel v. Marcin, the court said that authors may exploit facts,
experiences, field of thought, and general ideas found in another’s work,
“provided they do not substantially copy a concrete form, in which the
circumstances and ideas have been developed, arranged, and put into
shape.” Judge Hand, in National
_______________
90 Joaquin, Jr. v. Drilon, supra note 88 at pp. 239-240.

91 Leslie A. Kurtz, supra note 85 at p. 1243.
42

Comics Publications, Inc. v. Fawcett Publications, Inc. said that “no one
infringes, unless he descends so far into what is concrete as to invade. . .
‘expression.’”
These cases seem to be distinguishing “abstract” ideas from “concrete”
tangible embodiments of these abstractions that may be termed expression.
However, if the concrete form of a work means more than the literal
expression contained within it, it is difficult to determine what is meant by
“concrete.” Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English
Language provides several meanings for the word concrete. These include:
“having a material, perceptible existence; of, belonging to, or characterized
by things or events that can be perceived by the senses; real; actual”; and
“referring to a particular; specific, not general or abstract.”92

In Pearl & Dean (Phil.), Incorporated v. Shoemart,
Incorporated,93 this court, citing the American case of Baker v.
Selden, distinguished copyright from patents and illustrated how an
idea or concept is different from the expression of that idea:
In the oft-cited case of Baker v. Selden, the United States Supreme Court
held that only the expression of an idea is protected by copyright, not the
idea itself. In that case, the plaintiff held the copyright of a book which
expounded on a new accounting system he had developed.
_______________
92 Id., at p. 1244, citing Nichols v. Universal Pictures Corp., 45 F.2d 119, 122 (2d
Cir. 1930); Eichel v. Marcin, 241 F. 404, 409 (D.C.N.Y. 1913); and National Comics
Publications, Inc. v. Fawcett Publications, Inc., 191 F.2d 594, 600 (1951). However,
the author of the article maintains that there is no clear dividing line between idea and
expression, p. 1245.
93 456 Phil. 474; 409 SCRA 231 (2003) [Per J. Corona, Third Division], citing
Baker v. Selden, 101 U.S. 99 (1879). The main issue of the case revolved around
patent infringement. However, the court distinguished the three kinds of intellectual
property rights from each other.
43
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 43

The publication illustrated blank forms of ledgers utilized in such a

system. The defendant reproduced forms similar to those illustrated in the
plaintiff’s copyrighted book. The US Supreme Court ruled that:
“There is no doubt that a work on the subject of bookkeeping, though
only explanatory of well known systems, may be the subject of a copyright;
but, then, it is claimed only as a book. x x x But there is a clear distinction
between the books, as such, and the art, which it is, intended to illustrate.
The mere statement of the proposition is so evident that it requires hardly
any argument to support it. The same distinction may be predicated of every
other art as well as that of bookkeeping. A treatise on the composition and
use of medicines, be they old or new; on the construction and use of ploughs
or watches or churns; or on the mixture and application of colors for
painting or dyeing; or on the mode of drawing lines to produce the effect of
perspective, would be the subject of copyright; but no one would contend
that the copyright of the treatise would give the exclusive right to the art or
manufacture described therein. The copyright of the book, if not pirated
from other works, would be valid without regard to the novelty or want of
novelty of its subject matter. The novelty of the art or thing described or
explained has nothing to do with the validity of the copyright. To give to the
author of the book an exclusive property in the art described therein, when
no examination of its novelty has ever been officially made, would be a
surprise and a fraud upon the public. That is the province of letters patent,
not of copyright. The claim to an invention of discovery of an art or
manufacture must be subjected to the examination of the Patent Office
before an exclusive right
44

therein can be obtained; and a patent from the government can only
secure it.
The difference between the two things, letters patent and copyright, may
be illustrated by reference to the subjects just enumerated. Take the case of
medicines. Certain mixtures are found to be of great value in the healing art.
If the discoverer writes and publishes a book on the subject (as regular
physicians generally do), he gains no exclusive right to the manufacture and
sale of the medicine; he gives that to the public. If he desires to acquire such
exclusive right, he must obtain a patent for the mixture as a new art,
manufacture or composition of matter. He may copyright his book, if he
pleases; but that only secures to him the exclusive right of printing and
publishing his book. So of all other inventions or discoveries.
The copyright of a book on perspective, no matter how many drawings
and illustrations it may contain, gives no exclusive right to the modes of
drawing described, though they may never have been known or used before.
By publishing the book without getting a patent for the art, the latter is
given to the public.
....
Now, whilst no one has a right to print or publish his book, or any
material part thereof, as a book intended to convey instruction in the art,
any person may practice and use the art itself which he has described and
illustrated therein. The use of the art is a totally different thing from a
publication of the book explaining it. The copyright of a book on
bookkeeping cannot secure the exclusive right to make, sell and use account
books prepared upon the plan set forth in such book. Whether
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VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 45

the art might or might not have been patented, is a question, which is not
before us. It was not patented, and is open and free to the use of the public.
And, of course, in using the art, the ruled lines and headings of accounts
must necessarily be used as incident to it.
The plausibility of the claim put forward by the complainant in this case
arises from a confusion of ideas produced by the peculiar nature of the art
described in the books, which have been made the subject of copyright. In
describing the art, the illustrations and diagrams employed happened to
correspond more closely than usual with the actual work performed by the
operator who uses the art. x x x The description of the art in a book, though
entitled to the benefit of copyright, lays no foundation for an exclusive
claim to the art itself. The object of the one is explanation; the object of the
other is use. The former may be secured by copyright. The latter can only be
secured, if it can be secured at all, by letters patent.”94 (Emphasis supplied)

News or the event itself is not copyrightable. However, an event
can be captured and presented in a specific medium. As recognized
by this court in Joaquin, television “involves a whole spectrum of
visuals and effects, video and audio.”95 News coverage in television
involves framing shots, using images, graphics, and sound effects.96
It involves creative
_______________
94 Id., at pp. 493-495; pp. 245-247.

95 Joaquin, Jr. v. Drilon, supra note 88 at p. 240.
96 See Gale R. Adkins and Peter Haggart, Visual Materials on Local Television
News Programs, 7 J. BROAD. 227 (1962-1963); C.A. Tuggle and Suzanne Huffman,
Live Reporting in Television News: Breaking News or Black Holes? 45 J. Broad. &
elec. Media 335 (2001).
46

process and originality. Television news footage is an expression

of the news.
In the United States, a line of cases dwelt on the possibility of
television newscasts to be copyrighted.97 Most of these cases
focused on private individuals’ sale or resale of tapes of news
broadcasts. Conflicting decisions were rendered by its courts.
Noteworthy, however, is the District Court’s pronouncement in
Pacific & Southern Co. v. Duncan,98 which involves a News
Monitoring Service’s videotaping and sale of WXIA-TV’s news
broadcasts:
It is axiomatic that copyright protection does not extend to news

“events” or the facts or ideas which are the subject of news reports. Miller
v. Universal City Studios, Inc., 650 F.2d 1365, 1368 (5th Cir. 1981);
Wainwright Securities, Inc. v. Wall Street Transcript Corp., 558 F.2d 91, 95
(2d Cir. 1977), cert. denied, 434 U.S. 1014, 98 S.Ct. 730, 54 L.Ed.2d 759
(1978) But it is equally well-settled that copyright protection does extend
to the reports themselves, as distinguished from the substance of the
information contained in the reports. Wainwright, 558 F.2d at 95;
International News Service v. Associated Press, 248 U.S. 215, 39 S.Ct. 68,
63 L.Ed. 211 (1918); see Chicago Record-Herald Co. v. Tribune Assn., 275
F. 797 (7th Cir.1921); 1 Nimmer on Copyright § 2.11[B] (1983)
_______________
97 See Michael W. Baird, Copyrighting Newscasts: An argument for an Open

Market, 3 fordham ent. Media & intell. Prop. L.f. 481, 487-503 (1993), citing Pacific
& Southern Co. v. Duncan, 572 F. Supp. 1186 (N.D. Ga. 1983), affirmed in part,
reversed in part, 744 F.2d 1490 (11th Cir. 1984), Feist Publications, Inc. v. Rural
Telephone Services Co., 111 S. Ct. 1282 (1991), CNN v. Video Monitoring Servs. of
Am., Inc., 940 F.2d 1471 (11th Cir. 1991); 949 F.2d 378 (11th Cir. 1991), Los Angeles
News Service v. Tullo, 973 F.2d 791 (9th Cir. 1992).
98 572 F. Supp. 1186 (N.D. Ga. 1983) referred to as “Duncan I,” On appeal to the
United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, the decision was partially
reversed and remanded.
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Copyright protects the manner of expression of news reports, “the

particular form or collocation of words in which the writer has
communicated it.” International News Service, 248 U.S. at 234, 39 S.Ct. at
70 Such protection extends to electronic news reports as well as written
reports. See 17 U.S.C. § 102(a) (5), (6), and (7); see also Iowa State
University Research Foundations, Inc. v. American Broadcasting Cos., 621
F.2d 57, 61 (2d Cir. 1980)99 (Emphasis supplied)

The idea/expression dichotomy has long been subject to debate in
the field of copyright law. Abolishing the dichotomy has been
proposed, in that non-protectibility of ideas should be reexamined, if
not stricken, from decisions and the law:
If the underlying purpose of the copyright law is the dual one expressed
by Lord Mansfield, the only excuse for the continuance of the idea-
expression test as a judicial standard for determining protectibility would be
that it was or could be a truly useful method of determining the proper
balance between the creator’s right to profit from his work and the public’s
right that the “progress of the arts not be retarded.”
. . . [A]s used in the present day context[,] the dichotomy has little or no
relationship to the policy which it should effectuate. Indeed, all too often the
sweeping language of the courts regarding the non-protectibility of ideas
gives the impression that this is of itself a policy of the law, instead of
merely a clumsy and outdated tool to achieve a much more basic end.100

The idea/expression dichotomy is a complex matter if one is
trying to determine whether a certain material is a copy of
another.101 This dichotomy would be more relevant in deter-
_______________
99 Id., at pp. 1191-1192.

100 Robert Yale Libott, supra note 84 at pp. 48-49.
101 See Leslie A. Kurtz, supra note 85 at p. 1236, citing Peter Pan Fabrics, Inc.
v. Martin Weiner Corp., 274 F.2d 487, 489 (2d Cir.
48
mining, for instance, whether a stage play was an infringement of

an author’s book involving the same characters and setting. In this
case, however, respondents admitted that the material under review
— which is the subject of the controversy — is an exact copy of the
original. Respondents did not subject ABS-CBN’s footage to any
editing of their own. The news footage did not undergo any
transformation where there is a need to track elements of the
original.
Having established the protectible nature of news footage, we
now discuss the concomitant rights accorded to authors. The authors
of a work are granted several rights in relation to it, including
copyright or economic rights:
SECTION 177. Copyright or Economic Rights.—Subject to the

provisions of Chapter VIII, copyright or economic rights shall consist of the
exclusive right to carry out, authorize or prevent the following acts:
177.2. Dramatization, translation, adaptation, abridgment, arrangement
or other transformation of the work;
177.3. The first public distribution of the original and each copy of the
work by sale or other forms of transfer of ownership;
177.4. Rental of the original or a copy of an audiovisual or
cinematographic work, a work embodied in a sound recording, a computer
program, a compilation of data and other materials or a musical work in
graphic form, irrespective of the ownership of the
_______________
1960). Kurtz said that “[t]he need to distinguish idea from expression arises in
instances of nonliteral copying. The defendant has added something to the plaintiff’s
material to reshape or recast it. In such a case, it is necessary to determine how far ‘an
imitator must depart from an undeviating reproduction to escape infringement.’”
49
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 49

original or the copy which is the subject of the rental; (n)

177.7. Other communication to the public of the work. (Sec. 5, P.D. No.
49a) (Emphasis supplied)

Under Section 211 of the Intellectual Property Code,
broadcasting organizations are granted a more specific set of rights
called related or neighboring rights:
SECTION 211. Scope of Right.—Subject to the provisions of Section

212, broadcasting organizations shall enjoy the exclusive right to carry out,
authorize or prevent any of the following acts:
211.2. The recording in any manner, including the making of films or the
use of video tape, of their broadcasts for the purpose of communication to
the public of television broadcasts of the same; and
211.3. The use of such records for fresh transmissions or for fresh
recording. (Sec. 52, P.D. No. 49) (Emphasis supplied)
Section 212 of the Code provides:
CHAPTER XV

LIMITATIONS ON PROTECTION

Section 212. Limitations on Rights.—Sections 203, 208 and 209 shall
not apply where the acts referred to in those Sections are related to:
212.1. The use by a natural person exclusively for his own personal
purposes;
50

212.2. Using short excerpts for reporting current events;

212.3. Use solely for the purpose of teaching or for scientific research;
and
212.4. Fair use of the broadcast subject to the conditions under Section
185. (Sec. 44, P.D. No. 49a)

The Code defines what broadcasting is and who broadcasting
organizations include:
202.7. “Broadcasting” means the transmission by wireless means for

the public reception of sounds or of images or of representations thereof;
such transmission by satellite is also “broadcasting” where the means for
decrypting are provided to the public by the broadcasting organization or
with its consent;
202.8. “Broadcasting organization” shall include a natural person or a
juridical entity duly authorized to engage in broadcasting[.]

Developments in technology, including the process of preserving
once ephemeral works and disseminating them, resulted in the need
to provide a new kind of protection as distinguished from
copyright.102 The designation “neighboring rights” was abbreviated
from the phrase “rights neighboring to copyright.”103 Neighboring or
related rights are of equal

_______________
102 World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Neighboring Rights: Guide

to the Rome Convention and to the Phonograms Convention, WIPO, 1989, reprinted
1994 and 1999, p. 11 <http://www.

wipo.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/copyright/617/wipo_pub_617.pdf> (last visited on 29

January 2015).
103 See Herman Cohen Jehoram, The Nature of Neighboring Rights of
Performing Artists, Phonogram Producers and Broadcasting Organizations, 15
colum.-vla j.l. & arts 75, 75-76 (1990-1991).
51
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 51

importance with copyright as established in the different

conventions covering both kinds of rights.104
Several treaties deal with neighboring or related rights of
copyright.105 The most prominent of these is the “International
Convention for the Protection of Performers, Producers of
Phonograms and Broadcasting Organizations” (Rome
106
Convention).
The Rome Convention protects the rights of broadcasting
organizations in relation to their broadcasts. Article XIII of the
Rome Convention enumerates the minimum rights accorded to
broadcasting organizations:
Article 13

Organizations
Minimum Rights for Broadcasting

Broadcasting organizations shall enjoy the right to authorize or prohibit:
_______________
104 See Herman Cohen Jehoram, id., at p. 84.

105 See Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works
(1886), the Brussels Convention Relating to the Distribution of Programme-Carrying
Signals Transmitted by Satellite (1974), Convention for the Protection of Producers of
Phonograms Against Unauthorized Duplication of their Phonograms (1971), World
Intellectual Property Office Copyright Treaty (WCT) (1996), and the WIPO
Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT) (1996). See Also Agreement on Trade-
Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (Trips Agreement) (1994).
106 See World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Understanding
Copyright and Related Rights, p. 17 <http://www.wipo.
int/edocs/pubdocs/en/intproperty/909/wipo_pub_909.pdf> (last visited on 11
February 2015). The Rome Convention was the “first organized international
response to the need for legal protection of the three categories of related rights
beneficiaries.” The Convention was finalized on October 26, 1961. It came into force
on May 18, 1964. The Philippines acceded to the Convention on June 25, 1984. It
came into force in the Philippines on September 25, 1984.
52

(a) the rebroadcasting of their broadcasts;

(b) the fixation of their broadcasts;
(c) the reproduction:
(i) of fixations, made without their consent, of their broadcasts;
(ii) of fixations, made in accordance with the provisions of Article 15, of
their broadcasts, if the reproduction is made for purposes different from
those referred to in those provisions;
(d) the communication to the public of their television broadcasts if such
communication is made in places accessible to the public against payment
of an entrance fee; it shall be a matter for the domestic law of the State
where protection of this right is claimed to determine the conditions under
which it may be exercised.

With regard to the neighboring rights of a broadcasting
organization in this jurisdiction, this court has discussed the
difference between broadcasting and rebroadcasting:
Section 202.7 of the IP Code defines broadcasting as “the transmission

by wireless means for the public reception of sounds or of images or of
representations thereof; such transmission by satellite is also ‘broadcasting’
where the means for decrypting are provided to the public by the
broadcasting organization or with its consent.”
On the other hand, rebroadcasting as defined in Article 3(g) of the
International Convention for the Protection of Performers, Producers of
Phonograms and Broadcasting Organizations, otherwise known as the 1961
Rome Convention, of which the Republic of the Philippines is a signatory, is
“the simultaneous broadcasting
53
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 53
by one broadcasting organization of the broadcast of another

broadcasting organization.”
....
Under the Rome Convention, rebroadcasting is “the simultaneous
broadcasting by one broadcasting organization of the broadcast of another
broadcasting organization.” The Working Paper prepared by the Secretariat
of the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights defines
broadcasting organizations as “entities that take the financial and editorial
responsibility for the selection and arrangement of, and investment in, the
transmitted content.”107 (Emphasis in the original, citations omitted)

Broadcasting organizations are entitled to several rights and to
the protection of these rights under the Intellectual Property Code.
Respondents’ argument that the subject news footage is not
copyrightable is erroneous. The Court of Appeals, in its assailed
Decision, correctly recognized the existence of ABS-CBN’s
copyright over the news footage:
Surely, private respondent has a copyright of its news coverage.

to protect copyright owners from infringement.108

News as expressed in a video footage is entitled to copyright
protection. Broadcasting organizations have not only copyright on
but also neighboring rights over their broadcasts. Copyrightability of
a work is different from fair use of a work for purposes of news
reporting.
_______________
107 ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation v. Philippine Multi-Media System, Inc.,

596 Phil. 283, 297; 576 SCRA 262, 277 (2009) [Per J. Ynares-Santiago, Third
Division].
108 Rollo, p. 68.
54

VI

ABS-CBN assails the Court of Appeals’ ruling that the footage
shown by GMA-7 falls under the scope of Sections 212.2 and 212.4
of the Intellectual Property Code:
The evidence on record, as well as the discussions above, show that the
footage used by [respondents] could hardly be characterized as a short
excerpt, as it was aired over one and a half minutes.
Furthermore, the footage used does not fall under the contemplation of
Section 212.2 of the Intellectual Property Code. A plain reading of the
provision would reveal that copyrighted material referred to in Section 212
are short portions of an artist’s performance under Section 203, or a
producer’s sound recordings under Sections 208 and 209. Section 212 does
not refer to actual use of video footage of another as its own.
The Angelo dela Cruz footage does not fall under the rule on Section
212.4 of the Intellectual Property Code on fair use of the broadcast.
....
In determining fair use, several factors are considered, including the
nature of the copyrighted work, and the amount and substantiality of the
person used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole.
In the business of television news reporting, the nature of the
copyrighted work or the video footages, are such that, footage created, must
be a novelty to be a good report. Thus, when the . . . Angelo dela Cruz
footage was used by [respondents], the novelty of the footage was clearly
affected.
Moreover, given that a substantial portion of the Angelo dela Cruz
footage was utilized by GMA-7 for its own, its use can hardly be classified
as fair use.
Hence, [respondents] could not be considered as having used the Angelo
dela Cruz [footage] following the provisions on fair use.
55
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 55

It is also worthy to note that the Honorable Court of Appeals seem to

contradict itself when it relied on the provisions of fair use in its assailed
rulings considering that it found that the Angelo dela Cruz footage is not
copyrightable, given that the fair use presupposes an existing copyright.
Thus, it is apparent that the findings of the Honorable Court of Appeals are
erroneous and based on wrong assumptions.109 (Underscoring in the
original)

On the other hand, respondents counter that GMA-7’s use of
ABS-CBN’s news footage falls under fair use as defined in the
Intellectual Property Code. Respondents, citing the Court of Appeals
Decision, argue that a strong statutory defense negates any finding
of probable cause under the same statute.110 The Intellectual
Property Code provides that fair use negates infringement.
Respondents point out that upon seeing ABS-CBN’s reporter
Dindo Amparo on the footage, GMA-7 immediately shut off the
broadcast. Only five (5) seconds passed before the footage was cut.
They argue that this shows that GMA-7 had no prior knowledge of
ABS-CBN’s ownership of the footage or was notified of it. They
claim that the Angelo dela Cruz footage is considered a short
excerpt of an event’s “news” footage and is covered by fair use.111
Copyright protection is not absolute.112 The Intellectual Property
Code provides the limitations on copyright:

CHAPTER VIII

LIMITATIONS ON COPYRIGHT

Section 184. Limitations on Copyright.—184.1. Notwithstanding the
provisions of Chapter V, the following acts shall not constitute infringement
of copyright:
_______________
109 Id., at pp. 1429-1431.

110 Id., at p. 1371.
111 Id., at p. 1368.
112 Supra note 107.
56

....
184.2. The provisions of this section shall be interpreted in such a way
as to allow the work to be used in a manner which does not conflict with the
normal exploitation of the work and does not unreasonably prejudice the
right holder’s legitimate interests.
....

CHAPTER XV
LIMITATIONS ON PROTECTION

Section 212. Limitations on Rights.—Sections 203, 208 and 209 shall
not apply where the acts referred to in those Sections are related to:
....
212.2. Using short excerpts for reporting current events;
....
212.4. Fair use of the broadcast subject to the conditions under Section
185. (Sec. 44, P.D. No. 49a) (Emphasis supplied)

The determination of what constitutes fair use depends on several
factors. Section 185 of the Intellectual Property Code states:
SECTION 185. Fair Use of a Copyrighted Work.—

185.1. The fair use of a copyrighted work for criticism, comment, news
reporting, teaching including multiple copies for classroom use, scholarship,
research, and similar purposes is not an infringement of copyright. . . . In
determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is fair
use, the factors to be considered shall include:
a. The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of
a com-
57
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 57

mercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;

b. The nature of the copyrighted work;
c. The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the
copyrighted work as a whole; and
d. The effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the
copyrighted work.

Respondents allege that the news footage was only five (5)
seconds long, thus falling under fair use. ABS-CBN belies this
contention and argues that the footage aired for two (2) minutes and
40 seconds.113 According to the Court of Appeals, the parties
admitted that only five (5) seconds of the news footage was
broadcasted by GMA-7.114
This court defined fair use as “a privilege to use the copyrighted
material in a reasonable manner without the consent of the copyright
owner or as copying the theme or ideas rather than their
expression.”115 Fair use is an exception to the copyright owner’s
monopoly of the use of the work to avoid stifling “the very
creativity which that law is designed to foster.”116
_______________
113 Rollo, pp. 1422 and 1432.

114 Id., at p. 68.
115 Habana v. Robles, 369 Phil. 764; 310 SCRA 511 (1999) [Per J. Pardo, First
Division], citing 18 Am Jur 2d §109, in turn citing Toksvig v. Bruce Pub. Co. (CA7
Wis) 181 F2d 664 [1950]; Bradbury v. Columbia Broadcasting System, Inc., (CA9
Cal) 287 F2d 478, cert den 368 US 801, 7 L ed 2d 15, 82 S Ct 19 [1961]; Shipman v.
R.K.O. Radio Pictures, Inc. (CA2 NY) 100 F2d 533 [1938].
116 See Matthew D. Bunker, Transforming the News: Copyright and Fair Use in
News-Related Contexts, 52 j. copyright soc’y u.s.a. 309, 311 (2004-2005), citing Iowa
St. Univ. Research Found., Inc. v. Am. Broad. Cos., 621 F.2d 57, 60 (2d Cir. 1980).
The four factors are similarly codified under the United States Copyright Act of 1976,
Sec. 107:
§ 107. Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use
58

Determining fair use requires application of the four-factor test.

Section 185 of the Intellectual Property Code lists four (4) factors to
determine if there was fair use of a copyrighted work:
a. The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of
a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
b. The nature of the copyrighted work;
c. The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the
copyrighted work as a whole; and
d. The effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the
copyrighted work.

First, the purpose and character of the use of the copyrighted
material must fall under those listed in Section 185, thus: “criticism,
comment, news reporting, teaching including multiple copies for
classroom use, scholarship, research, and
_______________
Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a
copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or
by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism,
comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use),
scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether
the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered
shall include —
(1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a
commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
(2) the nature of the copyrighted work;
(3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted
work as a whole; and
(4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted
work.
The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use if such
finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors.
59
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 59

similar purposes.”117 The purpose and character requirement is

important in view of copyright’s goal to promote creativity and
encourage creation of works. Hence, commercial use of the
copyrighted work can be weighed against fair use.
The “transformative test” is generally used in reviewing the
purpose and character of the usage of the copyrighted work.118 This
court must look into whether the copy of the work adds “new
expression, meaning or message” to transform it into something
else.119 “Meta-use” can also occur without necessarily transforming
the copyrighted work used.120
Second, the nature of the copyrighted work is significant in
deciding whether its use was fair. If the nature of the work is more
factual than creative, then fair use will be weighed in favor of the
user.
Third, the amount and substantiality of the portion used is
important to determine whether usage falls under fair use. An exact
reproduction of a copyrighted work, compared to a small portion of
it, can result in the conclusion that its use is
_______________
117 Rep. Act No. 8293 (1997), Sec. 185.

118 See Matthew D. Bunker, supra note 116.
119 Id., citing Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music, Inc., 510 U.S. 569, 579 (1994).
120 Id., at p. 317, citing Nunez v. Caribbean International News Corp., 235 F.3d
18 (1st Cir. 2000) and Psihoyos v. National Examiner, 49 U.S.P.Q.2d 1766 (S.D. N.Y.
1998). Bunker proposes the term “meta-use” for the kind of use that does not
necessarily transform the original work by adding expression, meaning, or message,
but only changes the purpose of the work. “[Psihoyos] distinguished between using
the photograph to ‘show what it depict[ed]’ versus commenting upon the photograph
in some way. Certainly the Nunez use was for purposes of commentary on the photos
— the photos had engendered significant controversy, and the news article reported
on that controversy. Thus, the Nunez use was what we might refer to as a ‘meta-use’
of the photos that went beyond simply using a photograph to illustrate a news story —
as in Psihoyos — and instead consisted of a news story about the photographs
themselves, or at least public reaction to them.”
60

not fair. There may also be cases where, though the entirety of
the copyrighted work is used without consent, its purpose
determines that the usage is still fair.121 For example, a parody using
a substantial amount of copyrighted work may be permissible as fair
use as opposed to a copy of a work produced purely for economic
gain.
Lastly, the effect of the use on the copyrighted work’s market is
also weighed for or against the user. If this court finds that the use
had or will have a negative impact on the copyrighted work’s
market, then the use is deemed unfair.
The structure and nature of broadcasting as a business requires
assigned values for each second of broadcast or airtime. In most
cases, broadcasting organizations generate revenue through sale of
time or timeslots to advertisers, which, in turn, is based on market
share:122
Once a news broadcast has been transmitted, the broadcast becomes

relatively worthless to the station. In the case of the aerial broadcasters,
advertising sales generate most of the profits derived from news reports.
Advertising rates are, in turn, governed by market share. Market share is
determined by the number of people watching a show at any particular time,
relative to total viewers at that time. News is by nature time-limited, and so
rebroadcasts are generally of little worth because they draw few viewers.
Newscasts compete for market share by presenting their news in an
appealing format that will capture a loyal audience. Hence, the primary
reason for copyrighting newscasts by broadcasters would seem to be to
prevent competing stations from rebroadcasting current news from the
station with the best coverage of a particu-
_______________
121 See Matthew D. Bunker, supra note 116 at p. 314, citing Nunez v. Caribbean
International News Corp., id.
122 See John J. McGowan, Competition, Regulation, and Performance In
Television Broadcasting, 1967 WASH. U.L.Q. 499 (1967), and William T. Kelley,
How Television Stations Price Their Service, 11 J. BROAD. 313 (1966-1967).
61
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 61

lar news item, thus misappropriating a portion of the market share.

Of course, in the real world there are exceptions to this perfect economic
view. However, there are also many caveats with these exceptions. A
common exception is that some stations rebroadcast the news of others. The
caveat is that generally, the two stations are not competing for market
share. CNN, for example, often makes news stories available to local
broadcasters. First, the local broadcaster is often not affiliated with a
network (hence its need for more comprehensive programming), confining
any possible competition to a small geographical area. Second, the local
broadcaster is not in competition with CNN. Individuals who do not have
cable TV (or a satellite dish with decoder) cannot receive CNN; therefore
there is no competition. . . . Third, CNN sells the right of rebroadcast to the
local stations. Ted Turner, owner of CNN, does not have First Amendment
freedom of access argument foremost on his mind. (Else he would give
everyone free cable TV so everyone could get CNN) He is in the business
for a profit. Giving away resources does not a profit make.123 (Emphasis
supplied)

The high value afforded to limited time periods is also seen in
other media. In social media site Instagram, users are allowed to
post up to only 15 seconds of video.124 In short-video
_______________
123 See Michael W. Baird, Copyrighting Newscasts: An argument for an Open

Market, 3 Fordham Ent. Media & Intell. Prop. L.F. 481, pp. 518-519. The author of
the article argues that “news broadcasts [should be taken] out of the realm of
copyright entirely, creating instead a separate ‘rebroadcast right’ for factual works of
a time-limited nature. . . [in that] [s]uch a right would allow the taping of newscasts,
but protect the source of broadcasters’ incomes, i.e., the advertising revenues from the
original broadcast.” In essence, the author recognizes broadcasting organizations’
right to rebroadcast, which we defined earlier as a related or neighboring right of
copyright.
124 See Instagram, available at <https://help.instagram.com/

442610612501386> (last visited on 8 February 2015).
62

sharing website Vine,125 users are allowed a shorter period of six

(6) seconds per post. The mobile application 1 Second Everyday
takes it further by capturing and stitching one (1) second of video
footage taken daily over a span of a certain period.126
Whether the alleged five-second footage may be considered fair
use is a matter of defense. We emphasize that the case involves
determination of probable cause at the preliminary investigation
stage. Raising the defense of fair use does not automatically mean
that no infringement was committed. The investigating prosecutor
has full discretion to evaluate the facts, allegations, and evidence
during preliminary investigation. Defenses raised during preliminary
investigation are subject to further proof and evaluation before the
trial court. Given the insufficiency of available evidence,
determination of whether the Angelo dela Cruz footage is subject to
fair use is better left to the trial court where the proceedings are
currently pending.
GMA-7’s rebroadcast of ABS-CBN’s news footage without the
latter’s consent is not an issue. The mere act of rebroadcasting
without authority from the owner of the broadcast gives rise to the
probability that a crime was committed under the Intellectual
Property Code.

VII

Respondents cannot invoke the defense of good faith to argue
that no probable cause exists.
Respondents argue that copyright infringement is malum in se, in
that “[c]opying alone is not what is being prohibited, but its
injurious effect which consists in the lifting from the

_______________
125 See Vine, available at <https://vine.co> (last accessed on 8 February 2015).

126 See 1 Second Everyday, available at <http://1secondeveryday.

com> (last accessed on 8 February 2015).
63
VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 63

copyright owners’ film or materials, that were the result of the

latter’s creativity, work and productions and without authority,
reproduced, sold and circulated for commercial use to the detriment
of the latter.”127
Infringement under the Intellectual Property Code is malum
prohibitum. The Intellectual Property Code is a special law.
Copyright is a statutory creation:
Copyright, in the strict sense of the term, is purely a statutory right. It is

a new or independent right granted by the statute, and not simply a
preexisting right regulated by the statute. Being a statutory grant, the rights
are only such as the statute confers, and may be obtained and enjoyed only
with respect to the subjects and by the persons, and on terms and conditions
specified in the statute.128

The general rule is that acts punished under a special law are
malum prohibitum.129 “An act which is declared malum prohibitum,
malice or criminal intent is completely immaterial.”130
In contrast, crimes mala in se concern inherently immoral acts:
_______________
127 Rollo, p. 1363.

128 Joaquin, Jr. v. Drilon, supra note 88 at p. 238, citing 18 C.J.S. 161 [Per J.
Mendoza, Second Division]. See also Pearl & Dean (Phil.), Incorporated v.
Shoemart, Incorporated, supra note 93; Ching v. Salinas, Sr., 500 Phil. 628; 462
SCRA 241 (2005) [Per J. Callejo, Sr., Second Division].
129 See Ho Wai Pang v. People, G.R. No. 176229, October 19, 2011, 659 SCRA
624, 640 [Per J. Del Castillo, First Division]; People v. Chua, G.R. No. 187052,
September 13, 2012, 680 SCRA 575, 592- 591 [Per J. Villarama, Jr., First Division].
130 See Go v. The Fifth Division of Sandiganbayan, 558 Phil. 736, 744; 532
SCRA 130, 136 (2007) [Per J. Ynares-Santiago, Third Division].
64

Not every criminal act, however, involves moral turpitude. It is for this
reason that “as to what crime involves moral turpitude, is for the Supreme
Court to determine.” In resolving the foregoing question, the Court is
guided by one of the general rules that crimes mala in se involve moral
turpitude, while crimes mala prohibita do not, the rationale of which was set
forth in “Zari v. Flores,” to wit:
It (moral turpitude) implies something immoral in itself, regardless of the
fact that it is punishable by law or not. It must not be merely mala prohibita,
but the act itself must be inherently immoral. The doing of the act itself, and
not its prohibition by statute fixes the moral turpitude. Moral turpitude does
not, however, include such acts as are not of themselves immoral but whose
illegality lies in their being positively prohibited. (Emphasis supplied)
[These] guidelines nonetheless proved short of providing a clear-cut
solution, for in International Rice Research Institute v. NLRC, the Court
admitted that it cannot always be ascertained whether moral turpitude does
or does not exist by merely classifying a crime as malum in se or as malum
prohibitum. There are crimes which are mala in se and yet but rarely involve
moral turpitude and there are crimes which involve moral turpitude and are
mala prohibita only. In the final analysis, whether or not a crime involves
moral turpitude is ultimately a question of fact and frequently depends on all
the circumstances surrounding the violation of the statue.131 (Emphasis in
the original)

“Implicit in the concept of mala in se is that of mens rea.”132
Mens rea is defined as “the nonphysical element which, com-
_______________
131 Dela Torre v. Commission on Elections, 327 Phil. 1144, 1150-1151; 258
SCRA 483, 488 (1996) [Per J. Francisco, En Banc].
132 Nancy Travis Wolfe, MALA IN SE: A Disappearing Doctrine, 19
Criminology 131 1981-1982, p. 133.
65

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CASES REPORTED

G.R. No. 195956. March 11, 2015.*

Remedial Law; Criminal Procedure; Arraignment; Rule 116, Section

2 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

suspension of the accused’s arraignment in certain circumstances only:

VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 3

Same; Certiorari; Motion for Reconsideration; Generally, “a motion

4 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 5

having the character of mere items of press information” are

6 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

Same; Same; Infringement under the Intellectual Property Code (IPC)

VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 7

Same; Same; In the Philippines, the Intellectual Property Code (IPC),

8 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

defining the contours of what it means to willfully infringe copyright

VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 9

Same; Same; Same; An accused’s participation in criminal acts

10 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

The facts are stated in the opinion of the Court.

1 Rollo, pp. 14-50.

VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 11

and 2115 of the Intellectual Property Code.6 Respondents are

177.2. Dramatization, translation, adaptation, abridgment, arrangement or other

12 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

Angelo dela Cruz on July 22, 2004. As summarized by the Court

Overseas Filipino worker Angelo dela Cruz was kidnapped by Iraqi

VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 13

News Network (CNN). It received a live video feed of the

14 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

lectual Property Code.18

VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 15

first obtaining the consent or authority of said copyright owner, to their

WHEREFORE, THE PETITION FOR REVIEW FILED BY GMA-7 in

16 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

January 5, 2005 as confirmed by the public prosecutor. Under Section

[w]hile good faith may be a defense in copyright infringement, the same

VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 17

The dispositive portion of the Agra Resolution provides:

WHEREFORE, premises considered:

Surely, private respondent has a copyright of its news coverage.

35 Id., at pp. 68-69.

VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 19

WHEREFORE, the foregoing considered, the instant petition is hereby

20 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

SEC. 11. Suspension of arraignment.—Upon motion by the proper

While the pendency of a petition for review is a ground for suspension of

VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 21

sion limits the deferment of the arraignment to a period of 60 days

The preliminary investigation conducted by the fiscal for the purpose of

22 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 23

[I]n order to avoid a situation where the opinion of the Secretary of

43 Id., at pp. 474-476; p. 471.

24 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

46 Crespo v. Mogul, supra note 41 at p. 470; p. 466.

VOL. 753, MARCH 11, 2015 25

spondent Secretary in his disposition of the petition a quo.47 (Emphasis

A prosecutor alone determines the sufficiency of evidence that will

SECTION 177. Copyright or Economic Rights.—Subject to the

wipo.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/copyright/617/wipo_pub_617.pdf> (last visited on 29